Traitors
by Austinwoods
Summary: Things don't go to plan on Severus's first mission as a Death Eater. What was supposed to be a simple job winds up thrusting Severus right into the center of the war for Wizarding Britain. A story about Severus Snape's journey from Death Eater to unlikely hero, from his first assignment to Voldemort's downfall. COMPLETE.
1. Mindgames

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

Traitors

Part One: Mindgames

It was a cool evening, but Severus could feel beads of sweat rolling down his forehead nonetheless. He tugged at the mask on his face. It felt foreign and suffocating. His breath got trapped against it and washed over him, creating an oppressive heat that seeped into his head and down his shoulders. It was just nerves, but that didn't stop him from feeling paranoid.

Severus turned his gaze up and down the street. A boring stretch of houses that would have looked at home in any muggle town. Street lamps created orange puddles between every sleepy house, and only the gnome infestation at the house across the street betrayed that this was a wizarding neighborhood. Severus's survey ended where it had begun. Nobody was there. Even if they were, no one would have been able to see through his disillusionment charm. But it wasn't him that might attract attention…

A sharp scream pierced the night. Severus flicked his wand behind him and reapplied a silencing charm over the house he was guarding. He scanned the street again, but no lights flickered on, and no suspicious neighbors peeked out their front doors.

There was a _pop_ of apparation a hundred meters away. Severus whirled and let his wand arm track the source. A wizard walked through the front door of the third house down the street. Severus heard him call out before the door swung shut again and released a breath. Just a wizard getting home late.

No prying eyes had fallen on him since his arrival ten minutes ago, but that wasn't unusual. At Hogwarts, hardly anyone had bothered to give him more than the occasional sideways glance. Potter and his lackeys were the exception, but their idea of attention was to make his life a living hell.

Severus let himself imagine that it was James Potter's house he was keeping watch in front of. A satisfied smile spread across his face as his imagination played out the scenario. The smile stopped short when Severus's thoughts fell on Lily.

Lily Evans had cared. She was the one, the only one, that had treated him with kindness, as though she didn't understand the rules the rest of the world was playing by. Until his fifth year, she was the only person who acknowledged his talent. Avery and Mulciber were all that remained after she left.

Severus forced away thoughts of Lily and focused on the task in front of him. He wasn't in Hogwarts anymore. There was no time to waste thinking about the past. The Dark Mark on his left arm twinged, and immediately Severus's full attention was back where it should be.

Severus nearly jumped out of his skin when someone hissed his name. He snapped around, wand ready, but found only Avery walking out of the front door.

"They need you inside. I'll take over out here." Avery said.

"They need me?" Severus asked. The whole reason he was posted as the lookout was because this was his first assignment. He didn't know what the other Death Eaters might need that they couldn't do themselves.

"Yeah, don't keep 'em waiting," Avery replied with all of his usual charm.

Severus nodded curtly and slipped past Avery into the house. It was nice—magically enhanced of course—but not grandiose as far as Severus could tell. Voices echoed down a short hallway, beckoning him inside. When Severus reached the sitting room, his stomach turned.

Travers was there with Yaxley. The two of them were standing over a shaking young woman. Her face was bloody, and she was clutching a hand to her stomach. Strewn further in the room, as if forgotten amongst the shredded, were three bodies. Two of them were older—a man and a woman—but the third looked to be in her twenties, same as the girl on the floor.

"Get in here, Snape," Yaxley barked. As the senior Death Eater on this mission, it would be his head if they failed.

Severus tried to look away from the woman his friends had been torturing, but he couldn't. Immediately, his mind began to rationalize the scene. This was war, and he was a combatant. Severus almost unconsciously ran through a quick Occlumency exercise. His breathing and heart rate slowed and his composure returned.

"You summoned me," Severus said.

"Yeah. This bitch won't give us what we need." Travers snarled. He lashed out with a kick that caught the woman in the ribs. She whimpered, and Severus was forced to ignore a stab of pity.

"We know she's working against the Dark Lord, but we don't know who else she's working with or what their plans are. Thus far she's been quite... reluctant to tell us," Yaxley said.

"And you need my assistance?" Severus didn't understand.

Yaxley nodded. "The usual method isn't working. We can't be here all night."

From the way the woman was quivering, Severus suspected that the usual method involved a heavy dose of the Cruciatus Curse.

"Mulciber tells me you're an accomplished Legilimens," Yaxley said.

"Does he?"

Severus cursed silently. He had shown Mulciber and Avery the ability in seventh year to impress them. It had been a mistake. The two of them immediately began to avoid making eye contact with him. They had been impressed, but Severus had never seen the two of them drop their guard again.

"Yeah, so get into her mind and get what we need," Yaxley said. "And do it fast. Like I said, we can't be here all night."

Severus nodded. It wasn't like he had a choice anyway. He stood over the girl, and his heart skipped a beat as he recognized her. Marlene McKinnon, a Ravenclaw three years above him. They never spoke, but the sight of her, bloodied and at his friends' mercy, shook Severus.

That wouldn't do. Legilimency required complete focus. Distraction meant losing track of what you were searching for, or worse, letting your own thoughts and memories seep in. There was a reason that every Legilimens had already mastered the art of protecting their own mind.

"Well come on," Travers said impatiently.

"Silence," Severus hissed. "I have to concentrate."

He immobilized McKinnon and made sure she wouldn't be able to close her eyes. The floor creaked as Severus knelt next to her head. He made eye contact and _pushed_.

There was a disorienting flash of images and emotions as Severus plunged through Marlene McKinnon's mind. He brushed her surface thoughts aside. Even if she hadn't been trained as an Occlumens, anyone who had survived what Yaxley and Travers put her through would be clever enough not to consciously think about information they were trying to protect. Severus would have to draw it out.

Severus tried to think of the way he regarded his fellow Death Eaters, or the Slytherins he had shared a house with at Hogwarts, anyone who belonged to the same group he did. He pushed through McKinnon's mind, searching for the feeling, ignoring irrelevant thoughts that raced by. A particular memory flowing past caught Severus's attention, and he stopped to drag it under his mind's eye.

Surprise passed through him as Severus recognized James Potter and Sirius Black. They were sitting beside each other in a pub, drinking and talking in low voices.

Severus shoved the memory away, cursing himself for letting his thoughts compromise the mission. He pushed forward into the woman's mind again. Another memory tugged at him, so Severus forced it into the woman's conscious mind. She was speaking to an older man whom Severus didn't recognize.

"The Fidelius Charm," the man said. "It has some drawbacks of course, but you can't get any safer... assuming that there's someone you trust with the secret."

"Who could cast it for me?" McKinnon's voice echoed inside of her head.

"Dumbledore can do it. He can't keep the secret for you, but he'll cast the charm for anyone in the Order..."

There was a long silence as McKinnon twirled a lock of hair between her fingers.

"I can't," McKinnon said. "I can't live in hiding, even if the Death Eaters are onto me. I'll stay with my parents. Their house is warded. I should be safe there."

The memory faded. Severus didn't know who the other man was, but the name Dumbledore he recognized for certain. It seemed that McKinnon and Dumbledore had been acquainted beyond the relationship of headmaster and student. As for what the "Order" was, Severus did not know. He focused on that idea, _Order_ , and dug deeper into McKinnon's mind.

A torrent of memories flooded past. He felt McKinnon trying to suppress them, but she didn't have the discipline to keep him out. Whatever the Order was, she clearly didn't want Severus knowing about it.

"Meet at my place. Tonight. Use the password." James Potter's voice caught Severus's attention again. He honed in on the memory and found Potter engaged in a furtive conversation with McKinnon. From what he could tell, Potter was setting up a late night rendezvous.

Fury filled Severus as he realized the disgrace that Potter was inflicting on Lily. The memory began slipping away as Severus lost focus. He held on as hard as he could, but it was no use; Severus felt himself falling out of McKinnon's mind.

"Will Remus be there?" McKinnon's voice sounded like it was crossing a great distance.

"No. Too close to the full moon. He's…"

Severus blinked and found himself back in the sitting room over McKinnon's body. She was still immobilized, but tears were running down her face. Severus ignored them as he tried to sort things out. How did McKinnon know Potter, and what were the two of them doing together? If Lupin was involved too, it had to be something beyond a simple tryst.

"What happened? What did you find out?" Yaxley demanded.

"I need another go," Severus replied. He rubbed his eyes before pointing his wand back at McKinnon. " _Legilimens_."

He ripped past the surface emotions, much less careful than before. He needed to find out what she knew, and how it connected to the Dark Lord.

 _The Order. What is the Order?_ Snape kept repeating the thought as he tore through McKinnon's head.

"The Order of the Phoenix," Albus Dumbledore's voice answered.

Severus tracked the voice to its source and grasped the memory firmly.

"The Order of… what, professor?" McKinnon replied. They were in Dumbledore's office, but Severus had the distinct impression that this wasn't a school meeting.

"The Phoenix," Dumbledore said with a smile. "And I'm no longer your professor, my dear. Albus will do fine, although if you'd prefer a different name, I have several others to choose from."

McKinnon seemed just as confused as Severus. He'd never heard of such a thing.

"What is it?"

"A secret society with one purpose: to defend our way of life from Voldemort."

Severus's stomach dropped. Albus Dumbledore had formed a secret society to fight against the Dark Lord.

There were whispers among the Death Eaters that the Dark Lord feared a confrontation with Dumbledore. It would certainly explain why the Death Eaters had been instructed to leave Hogwarts untouched. If Dumbledore had joined the fight, the war could only escalate. Rumors or no, the Dark Lord would not be cowed by an old headmaster.

"And you want me to join?"

McKinnon's voice became muffled as Severus withdrew from the memory. Now that he knew what the Order of the Phoenix was, he needed to find out _who_ was involved. Severus had a sinking feeling that he was already familiar with four of the Order's members, but the more he found out, the more pleased the Dark Lord would be.

Images began flying by faster than Severus could process them. He forced himself to slow down and identify as much as he could. Many face and locations he didn't recognize, but some…

James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. They were all in McKinnon's memories, all too recently to have been from their Hogwarts days. Severus felt his jaw clenching as he tried to remain inside of McKinnon's head. Her memories of Potter were too distracting for Severus to keep his focus. Desperate to remain in control, Severus decided to give up the fight and center his search on Potter. A memory came to him, very recent from the ease that Severus found it.

"Look out!" McKinnon shouted as a hail of spellfire came flying her way. She grabbed ahold of the man beside her and dropped, bringing them both behind a low stone wall and out of harm's way.

"Thanks, I owe you one!" Remus Lupin said.

"I'll collect later," McKinnon replied.

Lupin arched an eyebrow, but didn't waste time following McKinnon's lead as she rose above the wall and began hurling spells at their assailants. Severus realized with a jolt that they were fighting Death Eaters. Before his eyes, one of McKinnon's curses struck a Death Eater in the torso. The man grunted in pain and collapsed.

The remaining three Death Eaters began working to get around the wall. Before they could reach the edge, they were set upon from above by combatants on broomsticks. The ground beneath them exploded from a _Reducto_ , and Severus heard one of them scream as his leg was mangled by the spell. There was a whoop of victory from one of the riders, and Severus tensed further. He recognized that shout from the Quidditch pitch at Hogwarts.

"Looks like James and Sirius have us covered," Lupin said.

He grabbed McKinnon's arm and dragged her down the wall past two felled Death Eaters. Severus felt like his head was whirling. He had witnessed the aftermath of this fight only a fortnight ago. He recognized the injuries of his comrades. The man with the maimed leg was Wilkes. They had saved the leg, but he would be limping for the rest of his life. Kimball had received three broken ribs courtesy of McKinnon's bludgeoning hex.

"Snape! Let's go!"

Yaxley's voice broke through Severus's mental barrier. He could feel Yaxley tugging on his shoulder, but Severus desperately tried to stay inside McKinnon's mind. He needed to learn more.

Severus was dragged forcibly back to reality as Yaxley hauled him to his feet. He awoke to a wave of nausea, and had to force down the acid rising in his throat before spinning to face Yaxley.

"I wasn't finished!"

"You're finished now," Yaxley replied. He whipped out his wand and peered out a window. "Avery says we're out of time. The aurors are on their way."

Severus's heart pounded. There were four of them, but there could be a dozen aurors surrounding the building. The only reasonable option was to disapparate. They needed to get McKinnon to a safehouse—Malfoy Manor perhaps. Once they were there, Severus could search through her mind again and learn more…

" _Avada Kedavra!_ "

Severus's vision flashed green as the killing curse struck McKinnon in the chest. He turned to Travers, fury hot in his veins.

"What the hell are you thinking?!" Severus didn't care that this was his first mission. He couldn't let that pass.

"That we need to go," Travers replied coolly. He raised his wand above his head. " _Morsmordre!_ "

A jet of green light shot from Travers' wand through the ceiling. Severus cursed. If the aurors hadn't been about to move in already, they would have to now.

"You bloody idiot," Severus seethed.

Yaxley turned on his heel and was gone with a _pop_. Avery and Travers followed suit. Severus took one last look around. His head was swimming from the exertion of Legilimency, but the scene before him stood out in stark detail. Shattered furniture littered the ground, and the walls were torn and spattered with dark blood. The McKinnons were strewn unceremoniously about the room, with Marlene as the centerpiece. Their bloodied corpses stood as a warning; this was the price to be paid for defying the Dark Lord.

Severus disapparated. The brief moment of discomfort ended when he emerged on the front lawn of the Dark Lord's base of operations. The mansion's pale exterior and steep roof always made Severus think of a menacing skeleton. Appropriate, given the masks that the Dark Lord's servants wore. Severus tore his off and let the cool night air wash some of the fuzziness in his head.

Travers, Avery, and Yaxley were already halfway to the mansion's front door. Severus hurried after them. He was still furious about Travers's stupidity, but he was not going to be the one that showed up late when they reported to the Dark Lord.

They moved through the front doors together. Severus's Dark Mark twinged as he passed through the magical barrier keyed to the insignia. A short walk up the grand staircase ended at a set of black double doors that stood in stark contrast to the rest of the mansion's decoration.

Yaxley hesitated for a moment, then knocked. The black doors swung open immediately. The room beyond was shrouded in shadow, but dominated by the tall silhouette against the rear window.

The four of them entered with trepidation. Yaxley took the lead as he let the room swallow him. Severus was only a step behind, with Travers and Avery bringing up the rear. The Dark Lord had his back to them. They knelt in unison, and Severus kept his head firmly directed to the floor as the Dark Lord turned to face them.

"Rise," the Dark Lord commanded.

They did so, and Severus had to fight to keep his composure when he met the Dark Lord's scarlet eyes. The Dark Lord's skin was pale, and his nose had flattened until it was reptilian. Severus could only guess at the kind of magic that could alter a wizard's appearance so drastically..

"Yaxley, what have you brought me?" The Dark Lord's voice was hardly above a whisper, but it sent chills running down Severus's spine.

"My lord, we tried to extract the information from the woman. She proved highly resistant to the Cruciatus Curse," Yaxley shifted under the Dark Lord's stare. He spoke quickly. "I called Severus to enter her mind. He has what you seek."

Severus did his best not to react, but internally he was furious. Yaxley was trying to deflect any responsibility onto him, despite the fact that his Legilimency had been interrupted.

The Dark Lord looked to Severus. He swallowed the fear in his throat and spoke, head bowed in deference.

"The woman's mind was undefended, but I did not have enough time to learn everything." Severus exhaled heavily. The Dark Lord would not be pleased with failure, he could only hope that what he had learned was enough. "The woman was a member of a secret society, the Order of the Phoenix." It may have been his imagination, but Severus swore that he saw the Dark Lord bristle slightly. "She was recruited by Albus Dumbledore. I assume that he is the leader of this society."

The Dark Mark began burning. Severus gasped and resisted the urge to grab it.

"Dumbledore," the Dark Lord hissed.

He flicked his wand and Severus felt his chin jerk upward. His eyes locked with the Dark Lord's, and there was a sharp probe of Legilimency as the Dark Lord began rooting through his memories of the evening. Severus gritted his teeth and allowed it. Resisting would only make things worse. A touch of Occlumency allowed him to shift the Dark Lord's focus onto Travers's killing of McKinnon and Severus's fury that they wouldn't be able to interrogate her further.

The Dark Lord withdrew from Severus's mind just as sharply as he had entered. Severus gasped and tried not to double over as the Dark Mark on his left arm throbbed.

" _Crucio!_ "

Severus tensed, but the pain never arrived. Instead it was Travers thrashing on the ground begging for forgiveness. The Dark Lord held the curse for ten long seconds, while Severus and the others stood and watched. When it was finally lifted, Travers lie on the floor trembling. With a weak moan, he crawled forward and bent his head to kiss the hem of the Dark Lord's robes.

"Forgive me… forgive me, master," Travers said.

Severus wondered if he even knew what he was asking forgiveness for.

"Lord Voldemort does not forgive," the Dark Lord replied. "Why was it, Travers, that you killed the girl rather than bring her back here?"

"The aurors were coming," Travers choked out. "Avery said…"

Again Travers's screams filled the room as the Dark Lord tortured him. Severus did not dare let his discomfort show, lest he draw the Dark Lord's ire as well. Beside him Yaxley's face was a grim mask, while tremors ran through Avery.

The Dark Lord released his hold over Travers, and his voice dropped to a whisper. "You've disappointed me Travers. I expect better from you."

"Yes—yes master. I will do better," Travers said, not rising from his hands and knees.

A mirthless smile stretched across the Dark Lord's face. "Yes, you will." He turned to regard Avery. "And you, Avery. I confess that I am disappointed in you as well. To let a girl resist you so easily…"

Avery exhaled raggedly. He bowed his head. "I'm sorry, my lord. I won't fail you again."

The Dark Lord lingered in front of Avery for a moment before turning his back to them.

"Leave me… Snape, you remain."

The blood in Severus's veins froze as Yaxley and Avery exited. Travers struggled to his feet and dragged after them, not even glancing at Severus. The door shut loudly behind them, sealing Severus in.

There was a long moment of silence, and Severus wondered if he ought to be apologizing as well. He had never been alone in the Dark Lord's presence, but he knew the wrong move here could bring an abrupt end to his service as a Death Eater.

"I'm impressed, Snape."

Severus almost asked the Dark Lord to repeat himself, but instead remained silent. The Dark Lord turned to face him. There was no hint of pleasure on his face, but there was no anger either, despite Severus's burning Dark Mark.

"I very rarely find… competence among my servants. You have done me a great service by confirming my suspicions. Lord Voldemort rewards those who serve well. What would you ask of me, Snape?"

Severus could hardly believe what he was hearing. Quickly, he began trying to think of something, anything, he could request that might be useful. All of his needs were provided for already… and the one thing he truly desired was beyond anyone's reach…

"I'd like information, my lord," Severus said finally. It was a risk, but he could think of nothing else that would be worth the request.

"Information?" the Dark Lord repeated. It seemed that Severus had piqued his interest.

"Yes, my lord. I would like to know what your suspicions are about the Order of the Phoenix."

The Dark Lord studied him for a moment. Their eyes met, but Severus felt no touch of Legilimency this time.

"Very well." The Dark Lord turned his back to Severus and moved back to the window. "Seven years, I've fought openly against the Ministry. Initially they proved a fair match, but as my numbers swelled, my Death Eaters became too much for them. When the dark creatures joined our ranks, it was only a matter of time before the Ministry fell by my hand.

"But then something happened that I did not anticipate. The aurors rallied. They began to adapt to our tactics; they seemed to be able to predict our movements. The spies I had placed in the Ministry began to be rooted out. The Wizengamot was spurred into action, and any attempt by my agents to stop them failed. There was only one man who could have possibly been able to give the Ministry that kind of aid. Only one who might challenge me."

"Dumbledore," Severus breathed.

"I knew that muggle-loving fool wouldn't allow me to stand unopposed. He has always been a thorn in my side. But I expected him to face me himself, as he had Grindelwald. I was prepared for such a confrontation—I have taken steps that Dumbledore would not dare to ensure my victory—but it never came. Instead he remains in the shadows and pulls the strings of his puppets, and they adore him for it."

Disgust was evident in the Dark Lord's voice. The Dark Mark burned hotter every time Dumbledore's name was spoken.

"For all of his interference, Dumbledore still will not stop me in the end. However… recently he has grown bolder. He has begun sending his puppets out to die. This does not trouble me, but they have also been able to predict where my Death Eaters will strike with uncanny accuracy, accuracy even the aurors cannot match."

"They know where we will be?" Severus asked. His mind ran through the information again and provided an answer. "There's a spy among us."

The Dark Lord turned, and again the mirthless grin marred his features.

"Very good, Snape. Until tonight I did not know the extent to which Dumbledore was operating outside of the Ministry, but now…" The Dark Lord approached Severus. He moved with a graceful power that Severus had never seen another wizard possess.

"My lord, if you command it I can have a brew of veritaserum prepared within a fortnight." Severus had never tried the brew before, but it was no more complicated than a Draught of Living Death.

Again the Dark Lord gave him an appraising look. "Brew the potion if you wish, but I do not think it will help us uncover the spy. Dumbledore is no fool. He wouldn't recruit a cat's paw that would wilt under something so simple as veritaserum or Legilimency, nor would he rely on the Ministry's clumsy efforts to infiltrate our ranks. No, this will require a more delicate approach."

"My lord, I wish only to serve. If I might be of some assistance in this matter… I am yours to command." Snape had seen the things that the Dark Lord was capable of. He may not have been a true believer in the cause at first, but standing in the Dark Lord's presence was… awe-inspiring.

"Such loyalty," the Dark Lord replied. He seemed amused. Severus did not know whether that was good or bad. "As it happens, Snape, I could use your assistance. You have proven your worth to me once. Do so again and I shall reward you with power beyond anything you could imagine."

"What would you ask of me?" Severus said. His stomach was bouncing with nerves. Success or failure with this assignment would alter his destiny forever.

"Discover what you can about the Order of the Phoenix. As it stands, you are the one Death Eater among my ranks who knows anything about Dumbledore's intentions. Find out who else he has recruited, and what they are planning. And once you have discovered the identity of the old fool's spies, bring them before me."

Just hours before, Severus would have been shocked to even be acknowledged by the Dark Lord. Now he was being given a vital assignment in the fight for Wizarding Britain. Success could make him one of the most powerful wizards in the world. Failure would likely mean his death. There was no turning back now.

"Yes my lord," Severus said, bowing. "I will find the traitors."

* * *

 **(A/N)** **:**

I wanted this story to be 100% canon compatible, but there are a few things which don't fit in perfectly...

1\. Snape's Dark Mark. In the books it's stated that only the "inner circle" of Death Eaters receive the Dark Mark. I've interpreted this rather loosely to mean that only those with promise (or influence) receive one. My idea of how Snape got his mark was that Avery and Mulciber (whose fathers were influential Death Eaters) vouched for him, and he got one upon initiation into the Death Eaters.

2\. The McKinnons' deaths. In Deathly Hallows, Lily's letter seems to indicate that Marlene McKinnon wasn't killed until 1981 (a couple of years after this chapter). There will be an explanation for this contradiction later.

Thanks for reading!


	2. The Inner Circle

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

Traitors

Part Two: The Inner Circle

It was ironic that Severus found himself an outcast once again. After years of being ignored at Hogwarts, he thought he had finally found a place among the Death Eaters. They recognized Severus's talents, and he had even curried the favor of the Dark Lord himself. But that favor had quickly turned against Severus. Word spread quickly that the Dark Lord had tasked Severus with a "secret" assignment. It was less than a week of investigation before the Death Eaters realized what that assignment was. Ever since, Severus was treated with suspicion and outright contempt. Nobody liked being the subject of an inquisition, and they were even less keen on being investigated by a Death Eater fresh off his first mission.

A year of mistrust wore on Severus, but it also reinforced the defenses he had developed in Slytherin. He could now stand in the Dark Lord's presence without worrying about his emotions betraying themselves on his face… or in his thoughts. The Dark Lord's casual use of Legilimency a year ago had immediately set Severus to mastering his own Occlumency and Legilimency. The Dark Lord had only invaded Severus's mind a handful of times since, but each time Severus was able to redirect the Dark Lord's attention to what he wished to find. More importantly, Severus had been able to keep his emotions and deepest secrets from coming to light. It was a terrible risk. If he slipped up, and the Dark Lord suspected that he was hiding something…

But it was better than the alternative. There were some things that Severus would never tell another living soul. Things that could be catastrophic if discovered by the wrong people. He highly doubted that the Dark Lord would be pleased to learn just how close Severus had been to Lily Evans… or how he truly felt about her.

Severus thought of Lily often. He tried not to, but with most of his fellow Death Eaters avoiding him, she was the easiest way for him to find a moment's relief. Even just the memory of her offering support was enough to calm him.

 _You'll live, Sev. You have to, it's what I want._

That was Lily's customary pick-me-up. It never failed to make Severus smile. Only Lily would think that she could boss somebody into feeling better, and only Lily would actually be able to do it.

His memories of Lily ended, as they always did, on that one horrible day in their fifth year when Severus ruined the best thing that ever happened to him.

He felt a familiar hatred for himself rising. Severus clenched his fists and tried to think of something else. Anything other than that.

"Calm down, Severus," Lucius Malfoy said from behind.

Severus turned away from the window—the very same window the Dark Lord often stood vigil at when Severus made his reports. Lucius Malfoy was giving him a wry grin. The young Malfoy patriarch was one of the few Death Eaters who still treated him respectfully, at least on the surface.

"I am calm," Severus replied, cursing himself for slipping.

"I'm sure you are," Lucius said, irony thick in his voice. "You know, if you stare any harder, you might break the window pane."

Severus knew that he was doing a poor job of concealing his emotions, especially if Malfoy was able to read him so easily, but these were extraordinary circumstances. Tonight he might finally deliver results to the Dark Lord, and if he didn't…

"I'm worried about the mission," Severus said. It wasn't the full truth, but it also wasn't technically a lie, even if he didn't mean what Malfoy thought.

"Understandable, but fruitless." Malfoy offered another smile, and Severus began to grow suspicious. Malfoy was pleasant to everyone relatively close to his rank, but he was only truly kind to those he wanted something from or those with power. "Regardless, we should have word within the hour. Then you will be able to rest easy."

"Perhaps," Severus replied. He wasn't going to let Malfoy charm him.

Malfoy shook his head and returned to his seat at the table that sometimes stood in the center of the room. Four of the other seats were already occupied, while the last three stood empty. Antonin Dolohov and Bellatrix Lestrange were having a rather animated discussion at the room's other end. The Dark Lord's throne sat empty as well, but Severus was not disappointed by his master's absence. If he had to withstand the Dark Lord's scrutiny at this moment, Severus would risk losing the tenuous grip he held over his emotions.

Severus was playing a dangerous game, but his gamble was calculated. A year after the Dark Lord had tasked him with finding Dumbledore's traitors, Severus had little to show for it. His interrogations, subtle or otherwise, had only managed to catch out a few Ministry spies in the lowest of the Dark Lord's ranks. None of the spies Severus identified had been given a Dark Mark, and that meant he was missing something.

Severus had realized early on that the only way the Order of the Phoenix could be getting such vital information was if their spy was placed very highly within the Dark Lord's organization—as high as the inner circle itself. From the timeframe provided by the Ministry's sudden resurgence, Severus had been able to narrow that list into six suspects: Marcus Crenshaw, Antonin Dolohov, Bellatrix Lestrange, Lucius Malfoy, Aurelius Merriweather, and Augustus Rookwood. One of them was a traitor, but Severus need a way to prove it.

The solution was simple enough. Each of the six suspects would be informed of a major attack by the Dark Lord, an attack scheduled for tonight. Each of them was under the impression that they were the only one that knew the target. In reality, each suspect would be given a different target, and small teams of disposable Death Eaters would be dispatched to all of them. Lucius Malfoy was under the impression that the Bones family would be eliminated tonight, while Bellatrix Lestrange thought the same about the Head Auror. Each of the targets was carefully chosen. They had to be important enough that a spy would be forced to reveal the information, and the Order would be forced to act in their defense.

Now it was a simple matter of seeing which of the six teams was ambushed by Dumbledore's army. Whomever thought that was the true target was the traitor.

There was, of course, the possibility that _none_ of the six teams would encounter the Order of the Phoenix. Severus tried not to think about what would happen in that scenario, but the moonlit garden outside the window wasn't helping calm his nerves. He doubted that Lily would have been much help with this either.

Severus knew that she was in the Order of the Phoenix, even if he didn't want it to be true. A year ago, he had told himself that just because James was involved in Dumbledore's resistance, that didn't mean Lily had joined as well. But Lily had never been one to sit on the sidelines. Every day Severus worried that he would come face-to-face with her in battle, or hear news of her death. It made him doubt his own side of the war, but it was far too late for him to change his mind now. He had seen the power of the Dark Lord. It was only a matter of time before all of Wizarding Britain fell to the Death Eaters, and when that happened, the best chance Lily would have was if Severus held enough power to save her.

The double doors on the other end of the room burst inward, and Severus whipped his head around. A junior Death Eater was standing in the doorway. He looked off-balance, and his mask was slightly askew.

"Forgive me, my lord!" he shouted to nobody in particular.

"What is this?" Malfoy demanded, rising to his feet.

Severus remained by the window and watched.

"We failed. We tried to get in, but the guards… Andrews didn't make it back." The Death Eater dropped to one knee and grabbed his head in his hands.

Severus had committed the names of each Death Eater on the six team to memory. Andrews was assigned to the team breaking into the Department of Mysteries.

Bellatrix giggled. "Poor thing. Did your friend not make it?" Bellatrix Lestrange mocked in a sing-song voice. "You should have died with him, rather than fail our master." Her girlish laugh morphed into a cackle, and she raised her wand.

"Wait," Severus commanded.

Bellatrix shot him a furious glance, but held her tongue. Severus had quickly discovered exactly how little she thought of him. However, he still had the Dark Lord's favor, and as long as that held, Bellatrix would not be a threat.

Severus walked forward until he was standing over the kneeling man, aware that every eye in the room was trained on him. He knelt down in front of the junior Death Eater. From this close, he could hear the man's ragged breath drawing in and out, and see the fear behind the eyes of his mask. Severus stared into them.

 _Legilimens._

The man—Torrence, Severus could tell now that he was inside the Death Eater's mind—was on the brink of a full emotional meltdown, but that didn't concern Severus. He shoved Torrence's emotions aside and wrenched his recent memories into focus. There was a cacophony of spellfire being exchanged. Fear had stained Torrence's memory of the battle, but Severus could still see the guards that the incompetent Death Eaters had faced. There were no more than a half dozen of them, and all appeared to be normal Aurors. There was no sign of Dumbledore's secret society.

Severus withdrew immediately. The entire sequence had taken only a few seconds, and Torrence's mind was so unprotected, the Severus doubted the other man even realized what had happened.

"Do what you will, Bella. I'm finished with him," Severus said.

There may not have been any love lost between him and Bellatrix, but it wasn't wise to stand between that woman and her prey for long. It was a cruel decision for Torrence, but Bellatrix wouldn't kill him.

Torrence's screams filled the room as Severus moved back to the window. Some of the senior Death Eaters around the table laughed at the young man's pain. Severus paid none of it any mind. The gears in his head were turning. The Department of Mysteries raid hadn't been ambushed by Dumbledore. Dolohov was the one who had thought that was tonight's target, which meant that he was clean.

"Snape, what the hell is going on here?"

Speak of the devil. Dolohov had separated himself from the others, and come to seek Severus's counsel.

"It would appear that Bella has found something to amuse herself with," Severus replied.

"You know what I mean."

"I'm not sure I do, Dolohov." As far as lies went, that was one of the worse ones Severus had told. Dolohov obviously wasn't buying it either.

"I mean that the Dark Lord tells me one thing, but I'm hearing something else from everyone I talk to tonight. You're the only one who looks like he's got any idea what's going on, much as Malfoy wants to act like he isn't as confused as the rest of us. I don't have a bloody clue why the Dark Lord trusts _you_ , but he does, and I know you know something. You're the only one here who hasn't proven himself, so the only reason you'd be here was if you know more than us. I'm sick of being in the dark, so how about you tell me what in Merlin's name we're all doing here." Dolohov tugged at his facial hair. He seemed somewhere between annoyed and murderous.

"The Dark Lord instructed me to find the spies among us. I am simply following his orders." Severus let a satisfied smirk spread across his face. Dolohov was edging away from annoyed and closer to murderous, so Severus decided to throw some water on the fire. "The Dark Lord agrees with my suspicions that there is a spy among his seniormost Death Eaters. We are here to discover who that spy is."

"And you plan to do that how?" Dolohov asked, glancing behind him where Bellatrix was still busying herself with Torrence.

Severus explained the plan to him briefly. When he was finished, Dolohov blew out a breath.

"That's about the craziest thing I've ever heard." He smirked. "What the hell are you gonna do if none of the teams get ambushed?"

"I'll let you know when I figure it out," Severus responded, trying to appear more confident than he was. It didn't work.

"Good luck with that, because to be honest with you, Snape, the only person here I don't trust is you." Dolohov laughed and clapped Severus on the shoulder, then turned and moved back to take his seat near the head of the table.

Severus stared daggers at the older man's back as he walked away. It was unfortunate that Dolohov wasn't the spy, since Severus would have liked nothing more than to kill him at that moment.

Bellatrix's torture of Torrence was ended by another report. This one from the team assigned to attack the muggle Prime Minister. They too had been deterred by Aurors, but nothing outside of the Minister's ordinary guard.

Severus checked Rookwood off his list of suspects while the new arrival escorted a trembling Torrence away. That left Bellatrix, Malfoy, Crenshaw, and Merriweather. Severus highly doubted that Bellatrix was the spy, and Malfoy valued his own skin too much to risk it on someone else's behalf without very good reason. Crenshaw and Merriweather were Death Eaters long before Severus had joined the Dark Lord's ranks. He knew little about either of them, other than that Crenshaw was a high-ranking member of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and Merriweather had been a dueling champion at Hogwarts.

"I'm sorry, but can somebody tell me what's going on here?" Crenshaw asked the room at large. "The Dark Lord only informed me of one attack tonight."

"Ask Snape," Dolohov said loudly.

Again, all eyes turned to Severus. He sent an angry glare toward Dolohov, but Severus's hand had already been forced. He supposed that now that they were all here, it would be better if they were prepared anyway, just in case the traitor decided not to go down without a fight. He knew telling them the truth wouldn't win him any friends, but the opinions of a few Death Eaters—even those in this room—were insignificant next to the favor of the Dark Lord himself. If his plan worked, Severus suspected they would quickly forget about their anger toward him.

"Yes, I do have some information to share." Severus adopted a bored drawl, as though this was old news. "The Dark Lord has been disturbed of late, as I'm sure you've all noticed. You may recall that our master asked me to root out any Ministry spies within the Death Eaters." There was a murmur around the room. "We have found some of the Ministry's spies, however, it is certain that some remain, along with an even greater threat…" The Dark Lord himself had already told them of the Order of the Phoenix. They would all learn the full details of Dumbledore's organization after they tortured it out of the traitor. "During my investigation, it became clear to me that the lowly servants we discovered could not be sending any vital information to the Ministry. Only a marked Death Eater could possibly be giving the enemy useful information… only a highly trusted and useful Death Eater…"

He let them put the rest together themselves. The murmur that had followed his initial declaration slowly grew as angry voices filled the room. Bellatrix was the first to have a go at him.

"You dare to question _my_ loyalty? Your filthy blood could never understand devotion to the Dark Lord."

Severus resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"I'll not be subjected to this any longer," Crenshaw said, standing and heading to the door.

"What's your hurry, Crenshaw?" Severus said softly. "Not worried about what we might find out, I hope."

Rookwood offered a murmur of agreement, which for him was akin to a five minute oration.

When Crenshaw turned back, his face had gone beat red. He flattened what remained of his hair on the back of his head and wetted his thick lips.

"You listen to me, Snape. I am the Dark Lord's oldest and most trusted servant. To be questioned by an impudent—"

"If you have a complaint about this plan, perhaps you should address it with the Dark Lord. I am acting on his behalf, after all." Severus cut him off. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Severus was getting more than a little enjoyment out of holding power over these people.

That quieted Crenshaw immediately.

"Listen to him, Marcus," Merriweather said. He nodded toward the seat that Crenshaw had just vacated next to him.

Crenshaw sulked back to his chair and took a heavy seat. Severus was amused to find that the man behaved no differently than the dozens of students Severus had attended Hogwarts with so recently, despite the fact that Crenshaw was three decades their senior.

"And _why_ would the Dark Lord trust _you_?" Bellatrix challenged. Her dark eyes narrowed in suspicion, as though he might somehow be the traitor they sought.

"The Dark Lord recognizes my talents," Severus said, letting a smirk show again.

Bellatrix practically snarled at him, but offered no other reply. Malfoy sighed heavily.

"So is the Dark Lord going to be joining us at all then? Or was this entire 'meeting' just a ruse so that we would play your little game, Severus?" Malfoy still appeared at ease, but Severus could see his nerves fraying.

"The Dark Lord will arrive soon enough. Once the spy's identity has been revealed, the Dark Lord will be interrogating him, or her, personally." Severus said. He saw Bellatrix bristle slightly out the corner of his eye. Whether this was because he implied she might be the spy, or because she would be denied the chance at torturing someone, Severus did not know.

"Well, I hope this business is resolved quickly." All eyes turned to Merriweather. He offered them an easy smile, one far more genuine than Malfoy's. "I'd like to get back to _real_ work."

Despite Merriweather's smile, Severus couldn't help but be a little put off. Merriweather might be friendly behind closed doors, but Severus had seen him in combat more than once. Merriweather boasted a knowledge of dueling magic that rivaled the Dark Lord, and a sense of cruelty that was second only to Bellatrix. Severus had witnessed him kill three Aurors himself.

The furor around the room died down as everyone realized that they were stuck for the time being. However, Severus kept a close eye on each of them. Now that the plan was revealed, the traitor might make a move at any moment. It would be a hopeless effort—nobody would defeat all of them—but Severus doubted anyone would go quietly when faced with a personal interrogation by the Dark Lord.

A large standing clock in the corner ticked the minutes away. The temporary distraction had helped, but Severus was becoming more nervous now. What was he supposed to do if more than one team failed to report? The junior Death Eaters were ordered to retreat at first sign of a losing battle, but Severus didn't exactly have full confidence in their ability to follow orders… or their intelligence for that matter.

The door opened, and another Death Eater reported. This time it was Bellatrix that was cleared, but that didn't tell Severus anything he didn't already suspect. Bellatrix made a childish face at Severus once the junior Death Eater had departed. This time Severus _did_ roll his eyes. If Bellatrix wasn't so deadly with a wand and devoted to the Dark Lord, Severus doubted anyone would tolerate her.

Only a short time later, yet another report came in clearing Malfoy. Now that the majority of the room was free from suspicion, they seemed to be more and more on board with Severus's plan.

Only Crenshaw and Merriweather remained as suspects. The conversation had dropped, leaving only the ticking clock in the corner to fill its place. Dolohov had surreptitiously positioned himself behind the two remaining suspects, while Malfoy had risen and sought the furthest corner of the room. Bellatrix kept flicking her eyes between Crenshaw and Merriweather, a predatory grin on her face. Only Rookwood seemed uninterested in his surroundings. He was seated at the end of the table, running his fingers over the grain of the dark wood.

As far as the two suspects themselves, Merriweather's affable demeanor hadn't faltered, but Crenshaw seemed quite a bit worse for wear. Thick beads of sweat were dripping down his face, and he was drumming his fingers nervously.

Severus could empathize. There was still no guarantee his plan would work, and he had hoped that they would know the identity of the traitor already…

The clock in the corner ticked.

The doors opened again, and a wounded Death Eater staggered in. His story was the same as all the others. They had failed to secure their target, but had been repelled by nothing more than the expected defenses.

Crenshaw sagged visibly, while beside him, Merriweather appeared not to notice.

"Well, well, I wouldn't have guessed it," Bellatrix said after she sent the wounded Death Eater scurrying. "I actually liked you Merriweather. It's a shame you took up with mudbloods and blood traitors." She sighed, and Severus thought she might actually be actually disappointed. Nevertheless, she had he wand drawn, and was taking measured steps toward the table.

"Now, now, Bella," Severus said, stepping in. "Let's not be hasty."

"Thank you, Severus," Merriweather said. "I admire your vigor, Bellatrix, but you've forgotten the possibility that none of us is a traitor."

That gave everyone in the room pause. Bellatrix halted her stalking steps, and Severus saw Dolohov's wand drop from the corner of his eye.

"Traitor or not, you're the only one here who hasn't been proven," Bellatrix said.

"She's right." Malfoy chimed in. "You may _not_ be a spy, but it would be prudent to take precautions… just in case."

Rookwood grunted. Whether in agreement or not, Severus wasn't sure.

"That won't be necessary," Merriweather said with a smile.

The doors to the room banged open, and suddenly there was a flurry of motion. Merriweather was on his feet with his wand drawn. There was a flash, and Crenshaw was flying across the room. He collided against the wall with a crunch and lay unmoving on the floor. Merriweather blasted the table away from him, sending Rookwood to the floor and forcing Bellatrix to duck for cover.

Dolohov slashed his wand downward. A stream of what looked like violet flames spewed forth, but Merriweather dodged the slow-moving spell and returned fire. Merriweather's counterattack was more accurate, and Dolohov fell to the floor screaming. Dark lines began running up his neck from the point where the spell had made contact with his chest.

All of this happened so quickly that Severus barely had his wand out in time to react to the spell Merriweather sent flying his way. He deflected and countered with a _Sectumsempra._ Merriweather intercepted the curse with his chair, then hit it with a _Reducto_ and banished the exploding wood splinters towards Severus. Time slowed and Severus realized that he was faced with two equally bad choices. Shielding would give Merriweather a prime opportunity for a more powerful follow up, but there was no way Severus could dodge _all_ of the projectiles.

 _Live. You have to. It's what I want._

Bellatrix had recovered, and her counterattack bought Severus the distraction he needed to shield himself effectively. The Death Eater that had entered the room to make his report turned to flee, but he didn't make it far before being struck down by Merriweather's killing curse.

Malfoy was circling in the battle cautiously, waiting for an opening, but Merriweather wasn't content to give him one. He began deflecting Bellatrix's curses toward Malfoy, then pivoted and hurled the rest of the room's chairs at him. Malfoy deflected the curses, but wasn't quick enough to avoid the chairs. One of them made solid contact, and Malfoy fell to the ground. His head smacked the floor with a crack.

One of Bellatrix's curses drew blood, and she laughed maniacally as she advanced toward a reeling Merriweather. Her cackling ceased when Merriweather took advantage of her taunt and struck home with what looked like a suffocation curse. Severus fired off a volley of hexes, trying to draw Merriweather's attention and give Bellatrix time to fight off the curse, but Bellatrix didn't seem to care that she could no longer breathe. She kept moving forward, casting nonverbally, as Severus pressed the attack from the other side.

Rookwood had finally gotten to his feet, and he joined the assault. He was holding his left arm awkwardly and looked dazed, but his spellwork wasn't lacking any firepower. Merriweather shielded and counterattacked, moving faster than Severus had ever seen him. There was no doubt that Merriweather was a masterful duelist, but it was three-against-one, and he was surrounded. Bellatrix fired a killing curse that Merriweather barely dodged.

"Don't kill him!" Severus roared.

Bellatrix gave no indication of hearing him, but her next three spells were torture curses. Merriweather deflected them at Rookwood, who didn't have the dexterity to dodge but conjured a shield in time. Severus saw an opening and slipped a stunner past Merriweather's guard. Merriweather collapsed, and the fervor in the room died immediately.

Bellatrix marched forward, and jabbed her wand at Merriweather.

"No!" Severus said.

She shot him a furious glare.

"Leave him for the Dark Lord," Severus told her.

Bellatrix flicked her eyes from the floor, then back to Severus. Finally, she turned away from Merriweather's limp body and began working to counter the suffocation curse that was crushing her lungs. Severus was amazed that she had lasted this long without passing out. He made a mental adjustment to his appraisal of Bellatrix's abilities.

Severus strode across the room. As he passed Merriweather's body, he bound it magically and claimed the man's wand, but didn't stop moving. Dolohov was lying supine at the far end of the room, and his screams had faded into weak whimpers. His entire body was shaking violently, and his eyes were rolled back in his head. Even as Severus arrived, the veins in Dolohov's eyes began to darken and grow as Merriweather's curse continued its assault.

This was dark magic that most people had never even heard of. Fortunately Severus had spent much of his seventh year in the restricted section of the library, and he had learned much in the year and a half since. He held his wand delicately and began to mutter a counter curse. Immediately, he felt a drain on his energy, but Severus kept up until Dolohov's darkening veins ceased to grow.

He had stopped Merriweather's curse from doing anymore damage, but the curse had advanced too far for conventional healing magic. Severus swore. He held his left hand over Dolohov and pressed the tip of his wand into his palm.

"What are you doing?" Bellatrix had evidently recovered from the suffocation curse.

"His blood is too tainted. He requires a sacrifice," Severus said simply.

"Of your filthy blood?"

"Perhaps you'd like to do it, then?" Severus said. He sneered when she remained silent. "I didn't think so."

He doubted she was even familiar with blood-healing. Truthfully, Severus himself didn't entirely know what he was doing.

Dolohov moaned.

Too late for doubts now.

" _Diff_ _i_ _ndo_."

Immediately, blood began to drip onto Dolhov's body as a red line appeared on Severus's palm. Severus began muttering again, a healing incantation this time. It was a modification of the spell that would heal a _Sectumsempra_ gauge, but Severus wasn't sure that it would work as he intended.

Again he felt himself being drained. The cut on his palm began to heat until it felt as though he was clutching a hot ember. Severus winced but didn't break the incantation. He could see the dark lines of Dolohov's face fading as the healing magic took hold.

The searing heat in Severus's hand ceased abruptly, and he fell backward. After a moment of lying there panting, Severus willed himself back to a crouch and checked on Dolohov. He was breathing, but unconscious. Severus did a quick diagnostic spell, and found Dolohov to be in good health, more or less.

Severus rose to his feet. He was unsteady, but both he and Dolohov would live to fight another day. Severus absently healed his hand while moving over to check on Malfoy, who was still lying where he had been struck by the chair.

Malfoy didn't appear to have any lasting damage either, and he awoke with a simple _Ren_ _nervate_.

"What happened?" Malfoy questioned.

"You managed to remove yourself from the fight in record time, Lucius," Severus responded.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed, but he didn't address Severus's sarcasm. "Yes, how did we fare?"

"See for yourself."

Severus offered a hand to pull Malfoy up, but was waved off. The room was a mess. The table was broken in half at the opposite corner, and most of the chairs were strewn about behind the two of them. There were scorch marks and gashes along the wall from stray spells, and almost half of the room's occupants were lying still on the ground, another if you counted the Death Eater just outside the doors.

With a wave of his wand, Severus repaired the table and moved it back to the center of the room. The chairs slid into place nicely, except for the one Merriweather had detonated. That was beyond a simple repair spell.

"I appreciate the help, as always, Bella," Severus said sarcastically while levitating Merriweather onto the table.

"Aww, is this all just a little too much for you, Snape?" Bellatrix was casually leaning against the wall near Crenshaw. She jabbed her wand towards him. "This one's dead."

Severus nodded. That would probably displease the Dark Lord, but there wasn't anything to be done for it now.

Malfoy flicked his wand and the body of the dead Death Eater floated into the room. It deposited itself next to Crenshaw, and the doors smashed shut. Rookwood had managed to revive Dolohov—who was doing a great impression of an inferi—and guided him to a seat at the table before conjuring a chair to replace the missing one and seating himself. Malfoy and Bellatrix followed suit, and soon what remained of the Dark Lord's inner circle had gathered at the table around the unconscious Merriweather.

"The Dark Lord must be summoned," Severus stated.

"I will do the honor," Malfoy said, rolling up his sleeve.

"Forget it," said Bellatrix. She was already jabbing her wand into the Dark Mark on her left arm.

Severus felt his own mark burning, then a strange vibration as the Dark Lord arrived nearby. The room fell deathly quiet as all of them waited. Less than a minute after Bellatrix's summons, the doors opened and the Dark Lord entered. He glided to the head of the table and took his seat, as each of them bowed their heads respectfully. The Dark Lord surveyed the room, his crimson eyes finally coming to a rest on Merriweather. Severus's Dark Mark burned.

"My friends, it is unfortunate that we must meet under these circumstances. You are my most faithful and trusted Death Eaters, yet I find myself disappointed in you." No one dared to move as the Dark Lord looked at each of them. "None of you realized that there was a traitor in your midst. None of you recognized treachery when it looked you in the eye. This failure will not be forgotten. Were I not in such a good mood, I might be inclined to believe that it was willful neglect that stayed your hands, that perhaps some of you are not so loyal as you claim…"

Lucius Malfoy shifted and appeared about to speak, but thought better of it and kept his head bowed. Bellatrix's fingernails were scratching deep groves into the table's surface. After a long moment of uncomfortable silence, the Dark Lord spoke again.

"But each of you has proven your loyalty to me tonight, and that too will not be forgotten," the Dark Lord smiled, but Severus found no comfort in it. The smile faded when the Dark Lord's eyes fell on Merriweather again. "Unfortunately, true loyalty is rare…" he looked at Crenshaw and the junior Death Eater "as is strength. I take it that Marcus was overcome in the fight?"

"Yes, my lord," Malfoy said. He often served as the group's mouthpiece, but usually only when reporting good news.

"A pity, but not a waste. Crenshaw was never a powerful wizard, and I have other spies within the Ministry. This one, however…" The Dark Lord's face twisted into anger. He stood and made a grasping motion with an empty hand. Crenshaw's body was wrenched upward, so that he was on his knees facing the Dark Lord at eye-level. " _Speak to me_ ," the Dark Lord hissed, and Merriweather's eyes fluttered open immediately.

Severus felt chills on his neck from the Dark Lord's mastery of wandless magic. The Dark Lord continued to display power beyond anything Severus had ever seen.

"I said, _speak!_ "

"Hullo Tom," Merriweather said dully.

The Dark Lord's wand was in his hand instantly.

" _Crucio!_ "

Merriweather's screams smashed around the room. Severus watched as Merriweather twisted and turned where Voldemort has suspended him, trying to break his magical bonds but failing.

"What is my name, Aurelius?" the Dark Lord asked when he finally let Merriweather speak again.

"T-Tom R—"

" _Crucio!_ "

This time the Dark Lord held the curse twice as long. Merriweather was shaking and there was blood dripping from the corner of his mouth when the Dark Lord relented.

"L-Lord V-V-Voldemort," Merriweather finally stuttered.

"Very good," the Dark Lord said with a smile. "And why have you betrayed Lord Voldemort?"

"Because y-you're a bloody psychopath. Have been since… since we left school." Merriweather cackled, then began choking on his own blood. Surprisingly, the Dark Lord didn't torture him further.

"And how, Aurelius, did you deceive us for so long?" There was true anger behind the Dark Lord's tone, and Severus sincerely hoped he was never on the receiving end of such a question.

Again, Merriweather released a choking laugh. "You think… that you know everything, _my lord_. You looked through my head plenty of times, but… you never… never knew what to look for."

The Dark Lord tilted his head to the side slightly. "Indeed?" He motioned toward himself, and suddenly Merriweather was dragged forward. Severus felt something akin to a static charge, and then Merriweather inhaled sharply.

The Dark Lord's face was emotionless, but his eyes were boring through Merriweather, who was struggling against his restraints again. Severus could practically see the Dark Lord ripping through Merriweather's mind. Merriweather's mouth opened in a silent scream, but his eyes remained transfixed on the Dark Lord's.

The moment lasted no more than half a minute, but Severus was uncomfortably aware of each second. Malfoy seemed to be faring no better. He had gone nearly as pale as Dolohov, who was slumped over in his chair with his eyes glued firmly to the table. Rookwood watched with indifference, while Bellatrix was practically glowing.

Finally, the Dark Lord finished his raid on Merriweather's mind. He lowered his hand and Merriweather crumpled backward onto the tabletop. Severus could see the traitor's chest rising and falling, but his eyes stared straight ahead vacantly. Severus had heard that Legilimency, if done poorly or with ill-intent, could drive the victim mad, but reading it from a textbook and seeing it done in front of you were two very different experiences. Merriweather looked like the descriptions Severus had heard of dementor victims… alive, but not there.

Yet, in spite of everything that had happened over the past half hour, Severus found his control over himself intact. He had lived, and his Occlumency was paying off. But Severus doubted that any amount of Occlumency exercises would be good enough to hold of that kind of assault from the Dark Lord.

"Bella, take him to the dungeons. Make sure that he suffers." The Dark Lord's stare never left Merriweather's unblinking face.

Bellatrix exhaled huskily.

"Yes, my lord."

She rose and flicked her wand. Merriweather was levitated upward and away toward the door, with Bellatrix following close behind. He voiced no complaint as he was ushered out of the room. Severus hoped for Merriweather's sake that his mind truly had been destroyed. If any semblance of sanity remained, it would be removed slowly and painfully.

The Dark Lord turned his attention to the rest of them. Rookwood was still favoring his right side, but he showed no sign of complaint.

"Augustus, take Antonin to the Saint Mungo's healer. Lucius, I believe the healer is being held at your manor?"

Malfoy snapped to attention upon being addressed by the Dark Lord.

"Yes, my lord." Malfoy almost managed to sooth the tremor in his voice. "I will see that they are treated properly."

"Good," the Dark Lord said. Severus though he picked up a hint of amusement in the Dark Lord's voice, but it was difficult to be certain. "I shall summon you again when our next move is clear."

The trio exited, Malfoy first, with Rookwood and Dolohov shuffling behind. Once again, Severus found himself alone in the Dark Lord's presence. He was growing accustomed to it, but Severus didn't think he'd ever truly feel comfortable having the Dark Lord's full attention on him.

"My lord, I apologize for my failure," Severus said immediately. He had seen enough in the past year to know that deflecting responsibility would only anger the Dark Lord further.

"Your failure?"

"Yes, my lord. It was my plan that killed Crenshaw."

The Dark Lord laughed. Severus felt a spike of fear but did not waver. It was ironic that bravery was cherished by Gryffindors, when it was Slytherins who would tear you apart for displaying cowardice.

"Crenshaw will be replaced. You have done me a far greater service by revealing Aurelius's treachery."

"Thank you, my lord."

Severus relaxed. The Dark Lord was standing regally behind his chair at the head of the table. His thin fingers were resting on top of the chair's high back, but his eyes were directed toward Severus.

"Again you impress me, Severus."

The Dark Lord had never referred to Severus by his first name before.

"You are too kind, my lord."

"As I told you before, Severus, Lord Voldemort rewards those who serve well. Crenshaw proved he was unworthy of a seat by my side, but you…" the Dark Lord looked pointedly toward what should have been Crenshaw's seat.

Become a true member of the Dark Lord's inner circle?

"My lord, I… I am honored," Severus struggled for something else to say, but found nothing.

"Then you accept?" the Dark Lord asked.

"Of course, my lord. I am eager to serve you to the best of my abilities." Severus dipped his head again. He remained calm on the outside, but his heart was smashing against his chest. Not even two years out of Hogwarts, and already he had a place at the Dark Lord's side

"Good. You will begin immediately. I have another assignment. One that only a trusted Death Eater can perform."

Severus nodded.

"We have found one of Dumbledore's spies, and in Merriweather's mind I saw much of Dumbledore's little resistance. However, the old man is no fool. He did not tell Merriweather everything. There must have other spies, and other plans we do not yet know. Thus far, none of my Death Eaters have been able to follow Dumbledore successfully, nor find out anything useful."

Severus was afraid that he knew what was coming, but he kept his face impassive.

"I want you to follow Dumbledore," the Dark Lord commanded. "Report on his activities, and find out anything you can about his 'Order of the Phoenix.'"

It was a crazy request, and one that Severus sincerely doubted he would be able to fulfill. The Dark Lord's power was unrivaled, but Dumbledore came closer than any other wizard. He had defeated _Grindelwald_ , the wizard that had nearly taken over all of Magical Europe, what hope would Severus have of pulling one over on him? Had the Dark Lord asked _anything_ else of him, Severus would have gladly obliged, but this was too much.

But then, the Dark Lord wasn't asking. The Dark Lord never _asked_ for anything… Failure would not bode well, but refusal would assuredly be worse. Severus swallowed his objections.

"It will be done, my lord."

The Dark Lord smiled. "Very good, Severus. Leave me now."

Severus inclined his head a final time, then stood and exited as quickly as he dared. He was brimming with anger at his luck. Severus's good service had been rewarded with a suicide mission. It was a betrayal. Severus doubted that any man other than the Dark Lord himself could accomplish the task before him… but Severus had to try. He was a member of the Dark Lord's inner circle now. If he made a habit of failure, he would wind up like Crenshaw: dead, and not mourned.

Severus passed through the front doors and took a deep breath of the night's air. He pushed away his anger and began trying to formulate a plan. He'd been given an impossible task, but Severus had no intention of failing. He had always been a survivor, from his youth to Hogwarts to now. He would find a way to do what the Dark Lord asked, and he would live.

It's what Lily would have wanted.


	3. Prophecy

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

Traitors

Part Three: Prophecy

"Enjoying your drink, sir?"

"Oh, enough with the sir business. I may be your elder, but that doesn't mean you've got to keep reminding me of it." Elphias Doge took a long drink from his Troll Tonic, then gave a froggy smile. "Very much, thank you."

Severus smiled. It had taken weeks to find a suitable target, but finally his plan was going to pay off. The Three Broomsticks was mostly empty during the Hogwarts Winter Holidays. Apart from Severus and Doge, only a group of seven in the opposite corner was present to keep Madame Rosmerta busy.

"So, you had questions for me, Mr. Snape?" Doge still had that smile on his face. It might have soured Severus's mood under different circumstances.

"Yes, about Professor Dumbledore, and yourself of course." Doge was here under the pretense that Severus was working on a biography of Dumbledore. It had been far easier than Severus expected to capture Doge's interest. He seemed more than willing to share.

"Dumbledore, of course." If it was possible, Doge's smile widened further. The floppy hat he was wearing dropped around his head on all sides. It gave him the appearance of a wrinkled mushroom. "Well, go on." Doge took another sip of his tonic—another sip of the veritaserum Severus had slipped into the drink.

"I thought we'd start with something simple," Severus said. "What is your relationship with Dumbledore currently?"

"Oh, Albus and I have been friends for about as long as I can remember. Since Hogwarts at least. I had just got over the contagious stage of Dragon Pox, so I was able to attend, but I still carried some of the symptoms. Most of the other boys thought it best to keep their distance, but not Albus. He came right up to me and introduced himself on day one, and let me tell you…"

Severus forced himself to pay attention and act interested as Doge prattled on about his school days. None of this was relevant to what Severus wanted, but if he was too forward, Doge might catch on and become tight-lipped, even under the effects of veritaserum.

When Doge had finished, Severus patiently probed him again. "That sounds wonderful, Mr. Doge, but I was wondering how you would _currently_ classify your relationship with Dumbledore?"

"Yes, yes, of course," Doge said. "Well, obviously we're still great friends. He's still the Chief Warlock and I advise him on many matters. He's also the head of the Order of the Phoenix.."

Perfect. Now Severus just needed to dig deeper.

"You certainly seem very important to Dumbledore." Stroking Doge's ego was making Severus nauseous, but it was a good way to get someone to trust you. "A lot of people must depend on the two of you."

"Oh yes. The Wizengamot wouldn't function without us, and of course, the Order wouldn't even exist. We were the founding members, you know." Doge drank again, happily oblivious that he was betraying his great friend Albus Dumbledore.

"You were the two founders, but who else followed?" Severus asked. It was as direct as he thought he could be without surpassing the limits of the veritaserum.

"Hmmm, let me see. There are so many now. So many who would fight against You-Know-Who…"

Severus smirked as Doge began listing off names. He didn't bother to write them down. The Dark Lord would see this memory in perfect detail later, and then Severus would be rewarded again… There was just the matter of learning more about Dumbledore's activities. Severus's lack of progress on that front made him less and less favored by the day.

"And of course, the Potters."

Severus was jolted back to the Three Broomsticks. "Pardon?"

"The Potters. James and Lily."

Doge continued talking, but Severus wasn't listening. He knew that James was a member of the Order, and he had suspected Lily would join as well, but he had no idea they had married. The thought made him sick to his stomach, but Severus forced himself to remain at the table as Doge betrayed the last of his companions.

"That's all of us, I suppose." Doge smiled again, as though fondly imagining his friends carry on the fight.

Severus stood abruptly. "Thank you, Mr. Doge. You've been most illuminating."

"Wait, is that all? I thought you'd surely want to know about—"

" _Obliviate_."

Severus's body shielded the pub's few other occupants from seeing the light of his spell. He carefully crafted the memory charm to remove the last thirty minutes or so that he and Doge had spent in the Three Broomsticks. With any luck, the old man would just think that he'd had a few too many.

Severus exited the Three Broomsticks quickly and noted the time. He wrapped his cloak more tightly around himself to ward off the cold and set off. Fresh snow had conspired to make the path to Hogwarts impassible, so Severus began using his wand to melt a path in front of him. He would have liked to return to the Dark Lord immediately with what he had found, but that would have held him up. The identities of Dumbledore's vigilantes were safe in his memories for the time being, and Severus had an appointment to keep.

* * *

Following Dumbledore around had proven to be fruitless. After three weeks, Severus had learned nothing. The few times that he _had_ been able to eavesdrop on the headmaster, Dumbledore had held only mundane conversations, often referring to the weather and expressing excitement about the holidays. The one time that Severus had caught anything related to the Dark Lord, it had only been Dumbledore affirming that the Wizengamot supported the Minister's policies. All of that was only when he _was_ on Dumbledore's trail. That trail was proving difficult to follow.

Severus wasn't surprised that so many of the Dark Lord's servants had failed in this task. Dumbledore spent the majority of his time in places that were inaccessible to all but a few privileged individuals. Dumbledore's working life alternated taking him between the headmaster's office at Hogwarts and the Chief Warlock's chambers at the Ministry for Magic. Neither of those were places that Severus could just walk into. In fact he wouldn't even be able to get onto the Hogwarts grounds without an invitation, unless he wanted to trek through the Forbidden Forest.

Severus had briefly entertained the idea of breaking into the Shrieking Shack and using the secret passageway onto the grounds, but what would that accomplish? Once he was there, how was he supposed to sneak his way into the headmaster's office? On top of that, there was little chance that he wouldn't be discovered almost immediately.

Instead, Severus had been reduced to renting a room out in Hogsmeade, and wandering around the village while he waited for Dumbledore's occasional trips away from the school. Severus was surprised to find that the headmaster favored the Hog's Head over the Three Broomsticks, but he wasn't complaining. A hooded figure nursing his drink in the corner wasn't out of place in the run down pub at the edge of town. In the Three Broomsticks, hiding your face would be akin to hanging a sign around your neck which read "SUSPICIOUS PERSON!"

While his time away from the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters had been refreshing in some ways, the weight of each day Severus failed to produce results was mounting. On the third week, as December gave way to January, Severus decided that it was time to take bolder action. His rendezvous with Doge earlier that day successful, there was one other element of his plan to put into action.

That was how he had ended up in Dumbledore's office, staring across the headmaster's desk.

"Jelly Baby?" Dumbledore asked, offering a bowl of the sweets.

"No, thank you," Severus replied.

Dumbledore placed the bowl down and sneaked one of the sweets into his mouth.

"I was surprised by your request for a meeting, Severus. Of course, I always try to make time for former students, regardless of their current activities." Something in Dumbledore's eyes told Severus he knew exactly what _activities_ his former student had been up to. "So, to what do I owe this great pleasure?"

Albus Dumbledore, to the unsuspecting eye, would appear a careless and doddering old man. The majority of his social interactions involved making polite small talk before delving into his bag of pithy philosophical advice, which he handed out just as fondly as he did muggle sweets. You could be forgiven for thinking that Dumbledore wasn't the same man he had been when he defeated Grindelwald three decades ago, but Severus wasn't fooled. He could see the keen intellect behind Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes, and he reckoned that the headmaster hadn't even lost half a step in all those years.

Severus wondered exactly how much Dumbledore knew about his involvement with the Dark Lord. There was a clear air of contempt hiding behind Dumbledore's placid smile, but he had accepted the offer to meet with Severus regardless. Severus couldn't help but wonder what Dumbledore would think if he knew that Severus was responsible for Merriweather's death, and that the Order of the Phoenix had lost its spy because of him.

All of that had to be pushed aside for now. Severus needed to act precisely if he wanted to pull off his plan.

"Well, headmaster, I heard an interesting rumor," Severus said, choosing his words carefully.

"Rumors abound in times such as these. Which one has caught your ear, Severus?"

The Dark Lord was as much Dumbledore's opposite as a man could possibly be, and yet… Severus found that he felt much the same now as he did in the Dark Lord's presence, like he was having a conversation with a dragon that could decide to discard him at any time.

"I heard that Professor Slughorn is considering retirement. Is that true?" Severus asked.

Dumbledore inclined his head and examined Severus over his spectacles. "Horace has spoken of the possibility… I must ask why this rumor is of such interest to you, Severus."

Severus stood, as if to emphasize what he was saying, but in reality to begin executing his plan. "If Professor Slughorn is retiring, I would like to put my name forward as a candidate for his replacement."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "Hogwarts does not ordinarily hire professors so young, Severus. What are your qualifications?"

 _I brewed a perfect batch of Veritaserum to root out your spies and crafted a_ _new untraceable_ _poison specifically at the request of the Dark Lord._

"I think that my record as a student speaks for itself," Severus said. "Professor Slughorn himself spoke highly of my work many times, and I received the highest marks on my Potions N.E.W.T."

"Yes, I remember Horace speaking fondly of you, however unless I am mistaken, you have no professional experience as a potions master. That's not to mention the _rumors_ that _I_ have heard, Severus." The instruments around the room whirred as though breaking into mocking laughter.

Severus kept his face impassive, as though he had missed the implication of Dumbledore's words. "You are correct…" Severus turned his back to Dumbledore and took two long strides to the headmaster's fireplace. With his right hand, he slowly reached into his pocket. "But, Professor Dumbledore—"

"Albus, if you'd prefer," Dumbledore said merrily from behind.

"Albus," Severus corrected. The name felt foreign after years as a student. "I believe if you were to discuss this with Professor Slughorn, he would be very pleased to hear my interest."

As he spoke, Severus removed a dark black stone from his pocket and dropped it into the fireplace. Its fall was cushioned by the ashes of countless floo journeys, and a quick wave of Severus's wand inside of his other pocket moved some of the ash onto the stone until it was undetectable.

"Perhaps. But Horace's opinion alone is not enough to sway me, Severus. I am curious why you are here, when you know that you do not meet most of the requirements of a traditional Hogwarts hire."

Dumbledore was definitely suspicious, but there was no way he could have guessed what Severus was after. Now he just needed to mask his intent and get out of there.

Severus turned back to face Dumbledore. "Prof—Albus… You are familiar with the… circumstances of my youth?"

A shadow of what looked like genuine sympathy passed over Dumbledore's face. "I am."

"Then you will understand what Hogwarts has meant to me."

Dumbledore was slow to respond. "I believe I do. However, that does not change—"

"Hogwarts is the only place I've ever felt at home," Severus cut in. It was a lie of course. Severus had never felt at home anywhere. "I wish to give something back to the school that has given me so much." Severus resisted the urge to cringe. He was laying it on way too thick, but Dumbledore seemed to be eating it up anyway.

"Severus, it pleases me that you think so highly of Hogwarts. However, the facts remain the same. You do not meet the qualifications the school looks for in its professors, as talented as you may be. On top of that, Horace has not formally decided upon retirement. I believe I might be able to convince him to stay yet, with the world outside these walls being what it is…" Again, Dumbledore gave him an intense look over his glasses.

Severus didn't return the headmaster's gaze. Instead, he looked out the window across the room. Dumbledore's office had an incredible view of the lake. It was frozen over, and the banks were covered with snow, but Severus could see the spot where Lily and he had spent so many spring afternoons. Thinking of Lily made him start to feel sick again. He couldn't keep James Potter from interrupting his thoughts and invading his memories. How could she—

"Severus?" Dumbledore prodded.

"Dark Arts," Severus replied suddenly.

"I'm sorry?"

Severus returned to his chair across from Dumbledore, but didn't sit. Instead he rested his hands on the back.

"If not Potions, then Defense Against the Dark Arts. I'd like to apply for that position."

Dumbledore's face darkened. "That position is not open."

"Not yet, but none of my defense professors lasted more than a year. From what I've heard, no one has lasted longer than a year in quite some time." Severus hoped that bringing up the Defense position might throw Dumbledore for a loop.

"I have confidence that Professor Cross will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts next year as admirably as she has this year. Currently, the only opening on staff is for Divination, and unless I'm mistaken, you do not intend to seek that position. Now, if there is nothing else, Severus, I would ask that you not take up any more of my time." Dumbledore covered his dark look with a polite smile.

Severus's strategy hadn't exactly played out as planned. On the bright side, it had given him a perfect opportunity to slip out.

"Thank you, headmaster."

Severus walked to the door and turned the handle, but Dumbledore's voice stopped him.

"Hold on a moment, Severus."

Severus turned back around. Dumbledore had already returned to reading a piece of parchment on his desk, however he was pointing his wand in Severus's direction.

"I believe you dropped this."

Hovering in front of Severus was the floo stone he had dropped in the fireplace. It was covered in white ash, and spun mockingly as it inched closer to his face. Heat filled Severus as he felt shame and fury colliding. How in Merlin's name had Dumbledore seen him planting the stone? If he had noticed at the time, why had he gone along with the rest of the interview as though nothing were amiss. Severus felt like he was being toyed with, and it tinged his failure with fear. He thought that he had shown appropriate respect for Dumbledore's power. Clearly, Severus had underestimated him.

"Thanks," Severus spat. What use was there in keeping up appearances now? He snatched the stone and pocketed it. As he made to leave, Dumbledore spoke again.

"You disappoint me, Severus. I hoped that Miss Evans could put you on the right path, but I was wrong. Instead you have forsaken friendship in favor of power… You could have been a good man."

Severus pushed through the door and took the revolving staircase down two steps at a time. He didn't have to listen to an old man's lectures. Severus knew he was capable of casting the killing curse, and half of him wanted nothing more than to return to Dumbledore's office and strike him down, but that would have been a mistake. Regardless of Dumbledore's intolerable condescension, the headmaster was still far more than a match for Severus. Fighting him could only end poorly.

Severus was still fuming as he pushed through the front doors and set off across the snow-covered grounds. Who was Dumbledore to lecture him, and what did he know of Severus's life?

A deep breath served to calm him, and by the time he was at the edge of the castle grounds, Severus was under control once more. Severus knew where he stood. When the Dark Lord had swept his opposition aside, it would be Severus that survived, not Dumbledore or his rebellion. Then it would be his turn to sit in judgment.

* * *

When Severus returned to his room in Hogsmeade, he was greeted by even more bad news. The rudimentary security measures he had placed on his door were disturbed. Someone was waiting for him inside.

Severus pushed the door open slowly, his wand ready.

"There you are, Snape." Bellatrix gave one of her carnivorous smiles.

"Yes, here I am," Severus responded. Bellatrix was perhaps the last person he wanted to see right now.

"It's been so long since you reported your progress. We were beginning to worry…" Bellatrix had her own wand in hand, and her tone made it clear that it wasn't Severus's _health_ she was worried about.

"You assume that the Dark Lord has been informing you of all my reports," Severus said.

Bellatrix's eyes narrowed, and the small room seemed to bulge as her anger permeated the atmosphere. "The Dark Lord shares everything with me. I am his most devoted servant."

"Then I offer you my congratulations." Severus let his sarcasm come across loud and clear. It always got under her skin. "As a matter of fact, I was going to make a report to the Dark Lord this evening. Perhaps you should learn to exercise patience, Bella."

Bellatrix's smile returned. "I can be as patient as I have to, Snape. I'm not the one that becomes less useful by the minute."

Severus ground his teeth. This was not what he needed right now. "No, but you are a wanted criminal, whereas I am not. Now, would you be so kind as to leave before somebody sees you and calls the aurors?"

Bellatrix stuck her tongue out at him, but Severus ignored her completely. He was far more interested in the tall figure coming down the Hogwarts path in the window over Bellatrix's shoulder. It was unmistakably Dumbledore. Nobody else would wear a cloak that garish.

"What's got you so interested?" Bellatrix asked, turning around to look.

"That's not your concern," Severus responded. He quickly checked around the room to make sure that he wasn't leaving anything important behind. Out the window, Dumbledore entered the heart of the village and disappeared around a corner.

"It's my concern if—" Bellatrix began, but she never got to finish. Severus disapparated in the middle of her sentence, getting a small sense of satisfaction in the process. He apparated near the corner Dumbledore had just rounded, making sure that he wasn't too close for the headmaster to see him. A quick disillusionment charm made Severus all but invisible amongst the lazily falling snow.

Severus peeked around the corner. As he suspected, Dumbledore was just popping into the Hog's Head. It was doubtful that Severus would learn anything of interest by following him, but he couldn't afford to be lax when carrying out the Dark Lord's orders. Besides, it had given him the perfect excuse to antagonize Bellatrix.

Dumbledore entered the Hog's Head, and Severus hurried after him as daylight began to fade over Hogsmeade. He dropped the disillusionment charm in favor of a more conventional hooded disguise before slipping into the pub. As Severus entered the Hog's Head, he was struck, as always, by the grime that clung to every surface. Severus had seen his share of dirty brewing rooms in the dungeons of Hogwarts and beyond, but nothing compared to the Hog's Head. It was the kind of place where you felt more like you were tracking dirt _out_ than in, and the characters that frequented the place didn't help the atmosphere. Severus had seen fellow Death Eaters in the establishment more than once, and all sorts of witches and wizards that would have looked at home on Nocturn Alley seemed to find their way to the pub as well.

It was strange that Dumbledore frequented the place. Or, at least, visited far more than he did the Three Broomsticks. Severus had followed him in here twice already. Perhaps the headmaster got a kick out of going unrecognized. After all, it was more unusual to see someone with their hood down than up in the Hog's Head. Or maybe he came to keep an eye on the other visitors. Either way, Dumbledore came often enough that the bartender recognized him, although he showed Dumbledore no more affection than he did any other patron.

Severus surveyed the bar quickly. There were only two patrons at the moment, sitting quietly in a corner staring over the table at each other. Neither of them was tall enough to be Dumbledore. The bartender was scrubbing a cloudy glass, but having no luck making it any clearer. To Severus's right, heavy footfalls banged on the rotting wooden staircase. Whatever Dumbledore was here for, it wasn't in the bar, but in the rooms above.

Severus ducked his head and ascended after Dumbledore as quietly as possible. It wasn't difficult to mask his, since the headmaster was making no effort to dampen his own gait. Dumbledore's steps stopped on the third floor, and as Severus peeked around the corner he saw the headmaster just slipping into a brightly-lit room.

A quick glance around confirmed that no one was watching, so Severus reapplied a disillusionment charm. It wouldn't do for someone to see him eavesdropping. He scrambled up the few remaining steps and positioned himself in front of the door. He could hear through the other side clearly enough. Dumbledore was greeting someone—a woman from the sound of it, and making pleasant small talk.

"Thank you for meeting me on short notice," the headmaster said warmly.

"Of course, headmaster. I admit that I foresaw your invitation and had been prepared for some time." Severus didn't recognize the woman's voice, but she spoke dreamily.

Obviously Dumbledore didn't consider this meeting to be very important since he had neglected to put up any sort of privacy wards, but the fact that he had chosen to meet at the Hog's Head was enough to keep Severus interested.

"I am pleased to hear it. Now, should we discuss the position?"

Severus nearly choked as he realized that he was about to hear Dumbledore go through yet another interview for an open teaching position. This one, he gathered quickly, was to fill the vacant Divination post.

If it was possible, the woman in the room with Dumbledore seemed to be an even less suitable candidate for the Divination position than Severus was for Defense Against the Dark Arts. She had the vernacular of a seer, but even from outside the room Severus could tell that she didn't have much of a gift for foresight. She was unable to guess any of the numbers that Dumbledore thought of, and twice she was startled by her own teacup striking the saucer.

Severus was on the verge of giving up and heading back to his room across the village when something in the air shifted. The hair on the back of Severus's neck stood on end, and he felt something akin to accidental magic flowing out of the room.

Dumbledore must have felt it to, because he immediately stopped talking mid-sentence.

"My dear, are you—"

 _"_ _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches..."_

Severus drew a sharp breath. He had never heard a prophecy given, but this was unmistakable. He could _feel_ the prophecy as much as he heard it.

 _"_ _Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies..."_

"What're you doing?"

Severus whipped his head around. The bartender was at the top of the stairs, his glass and dirty rag abandoned in favor of a wand, and he was staring straight at Severus. There was no way he could have seen straight through his disillusionment charm.

"Yeah, I'm talking to you!" the bartender said.

Severus cursed as the next line of prophecy was swallowed by the bartender's exclamation. Ignoring the man wouldn't work, and Severus had already missed something.

 _Stupefy!_

Severus flicked his wand toward the bartender and unleashed a silent stunning spell. The bartender stepped aside with surprisingly alacrity and sent a stunner of his own toward Severus. A shield dispelled the attack easily enough, but Severus couldn't hear anything from the other room anymore. He lashed out with a _Sectumsempra_ , but it was deflected. The bartender flicked his wand and conjured a flash of light that left Severus stunned. He regained his senses just in time to see the bartender slam into him, sending both of them through the door into the room where Dumbledore was conducting his interview.

Severus looked around wildly. Dumbledore was on his feet, wand already coming upward. Across the table from him was a woman with unkempt hair and bulbous eyes, who seemed entirely confused. The bartender had landed sprawled atop Severus, who was trapped on his back. There was only one thing Severus could think of that might get him out of his predicament. Severus disapparated.

Instantly, he was back outside of the Inn where he had rented a room, but it seemed that he had jumped out of the cauldron and into the fire. Bellatrix had evidently taken her time leaving, and was standing next to where Severus had apparated by the door. Across street from her stood two all-too-familiar figures.

"Well, look who it is, Prongs!" Sirius Black exclaimed as Severus scrambled to his feet.

"Snivelly!" James answered excitedly. "We were just having a chat with your friend here. Not very well-mannered, that one."

At the sound of James's voice, Severus snapped. His wand was raised in an instant.

" _Avada Kedavra!_ "

The attack caught James by surprise, but he was saved by his quick reflexes. He dropped into the snow and let the attack pass overhead, while Sirius immediately stepped forward to cover him. Bellatrix cackled as she intercepted the first spell of her cousin's counterattack and began to return fire.

" _Crucio!_ "

Sirius deflected the spell as Bellatrix cursed him for besmirching the family name. Sirius responded with a stunner and a quip about crazy bitches.

James was on his feet again, and Severus could see his own fury reflected on James's face. They traded spells, both men aiming to inflict a mortal wound. Lights were going off around the village as the violence of the duel frightened people away from their windows, and soon only the flashes of spell-light illuminated the scene.

Severus slipped as James transfigured the snow beneath him into solid ice, then cursed as the ice began to raise up and around his body, entombing him. A blast of fire from Severus's wand melted his constraints, as well as most of the snow around him. James caught Severus with a _Levicorpus_ , but Severus had the countercurse out before he had been raised a foot off the ground. James's follow-up slashing hex flew over Severus's head, and Severus sent a succession of bone-breaking curses at James while he regained his footing.

There was a rewarding _Crack_ and scream of pain as one of Severus's curses connected, but James didn't stop moving, making the rest of Severus's attack fly past uselessly. James was holding his left arm to his side awkwardly, but his right held his wand firmly. Severus made to re-engage, but stopped short when a _pop_ of apparition alerted him to a new arrival behind James. It was a middle-aged man dressed in Auror's robes, and he wasted no time jumping in to assist James and Sirius.

Severus threw up a shield and maneuvered himself towards Bellatrix. She was cackling madly as she unleashed a barrage of curses on Sirius, who was beginning to look overwhelmed. Severus would have liked nothing more than to assist her, but the odds had shifted against them, and where one Auror went, more were sure to follow.

Without waiting to ask for permission, Severus grabbed Bellatrix by the arm and side-along apparated to the Dark Lord's headquarters. The instant they had landed on solid ground, Bellatrix whirled on him.

 _"_ _Crucio!_ "

Severus had seen the spell coming, and his shield sent it flying away into the night sky. Bellatrix was practically snarling at him, but Severus hadn't expected anything different. It wasn't really in her nature to be grateful. Only the Dark Lord had truly earned her affection.

"Come," Severus commanded, grabbing her arm again and moving toward the mansion. "You'll want to be there when I see the Dark Lord," he added when she refused to budge. It was true, but Severus hoped it wouldn't be because the Dark Lord was enraged with his failure to hear the entirety of the prophecy.

Bellatrix dropped her rage in favor of a defined pout that made Severus roll his eyes. She followed him into the mansion all the same. A group of younger recruits drew away from the pair as they moved through the foyer and ascended the stairs toward the waiting black doors. They opened at their approach, before either had even bothered to knock.

"What have you brought me?" The Dark Lord asked. He was standing at the far end of the room, which forced Severus to walk the length of the room in order to address him properly.

"My lord, there has been a prophecy," Severus said without preamble.

If this news surprised the Dark Lord, he didn't show it. "A prophecy concerning me," he said.

"Yes," Severus confirmed. He recited from memory. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies."

The dark mark began burning, and the Dark Lord's eyes narrowed. "Is that all, Severus?"

Severus felt an overwhelming urge to lie, but he knew that if the Dark Lord discovered his deception, about something so important, he would suffer a prolonged and painful death.

"No, my lord," Severus said with a swallow. "There was more to the prophecy, but I did not hear it. I was interrupted."

There was a sting of pain from Severus's left arm. He winced, while Bellatrix sighed.

"You treacherous weasel," she hissed. "How could you not hear the whole prophecy?"

The Dark Lord held out a hand to silence her, then beckoned Severus forward. Severus obliged and tried to brace himself. He knew what was coming, but there was no way to truly prepare for it.

The Dark Lord's eyes locked on Severus's and there was a hot piercing in his skull as the Dark Lord rooted through his memory of the evening, searching for any sign that Severus was withholding part of the prophecy. Severus shoved his memory of eavesdropping on Dumbledore's interview forward, not bothering to hide his discovery by the bartender. It was shameful, but better than the Dark Lord thinking that he was purposefully not telling him everything.

The Dark Lord pushed at Severus's memory, trying to find any gaps or weaknesses that an unskilled Occlumens might leave in a fabrication. The memory stood unyielding, even as Severus felt like hot needles were being pushed through the backs of his eyes. Finally, the Dark Lord was satisfied, but before he withdrew, Severus pushed the memory of his encounter with Elphias Doge forward, complete with Doge's recounting of the members of the Order of the Phoenix.

The burning of the Dark Mark faded, but the pain in Severus's head was overwhelming. He fought the urge to try to shove the Dark Lord out of his mind, even as he felt his mouth opening in the same silent scream as Merriweather's had when his sanity was torn to shreds.

The Dark Lord withdrew, and Severus's legs gave out immediately. He crumpled to the floor unceremoniously, hardly even holding out a hand to break his fall. His other hand sought his head immediately, trying to chase away the buzzing pain that was drowning out his thoughts.

Severus heard the Dark Lord say… something, and then Bellatrix flicked her wand and brought Severus to his feet. She held her arm outstretched with her face angled away, as though worried that aiding him might make her wand explode. Severus ignored her and focused his effort on not collapsing again. The pain in his head angrily refused to dissipate, but at least he could see and hear clearly again.

"You have done well, Severus," the Dark Lord said.

He'd done so well that the Dark Lord had seen fit to nearly drive him mad by tearing his head to pieces.

"Thank you, master," Severus mumbled, keeping his eyes on the floor. Everything else was spinning a bit too much at the moment.

From the corner of his eye, Severus saw the Dark Lord wave his wand and conjure a sheet of parchment. He levitated the parchment to Bellatrix.

"This a list of blood traitors that have sided with Dumbledore." Severus glanced up and saw a cruel grin on the Dark Lord's face. "I'd like you to narrow the list, Bella."

"Yes, master, of course," Bellatrix said breathlessly. She bowed and then skipped out of the room, humming a little tune under her breath.

"Tell me the prophecy again, Severus," the Dark Lord said turning away from him.

Severus obliged, knowing that the Dark Lord hadn't forgotten. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies."

"Thrice defied him," the Dark Lord whispered. "Dumbledore is the only… but could it mean the bloodline?"

The world had finally ceased spinning through Severus's eyes, so he risked a step forward. His legs held firm, so he took another, bringing him to the Dark Lord's shoulder. Severus didn't know if he should be offering counsel or if the Dark Lord would punish him for presuming to understand more than he.

"My lord, if I may…"

The Dark Lord turned to face him, but did not seemed angered by the interruption.

"Born as the seventh month dies… If the prophecy is true, then the mother must already be carrying the child."

"Yes…" the Dark Lord nodded slowly. "You have served me well again, Severus. I will summon you again when I have need of you."

Severus bowed slightly, taking heed of the clear dismissal and leaving the room. The pain in his head was swelling in waves as Severus departed the Dark Lord's headquarters… the Dark Lord's gift for Severus's fine service.

* * *

Sheer panic ripped through Severus as the Dark Lord revealed what Bellatrix had learned. Two women had been identified, both pregnant and expecting to give birth in the summer, both married into families that had thrice defied the Dark Lord: Alice Longbottom and Lily Potter.

It took every ounce of control that Severus had not to bolt for the exit, or to draw his wand and try to destroy the Dark Lord as he told each of them that the Potter boy was the subject of the prophecy, and that they must find Lily Potter and bring her location to the Dark Lord. The kill was to belong to the Dark Lord himself. Severus's instincts were screaming at him to take action, but he was no Gryffindor. The best thing he could do right now was to remain silent and play his role.

Severus mimicked the Death Eaters as they paid homage to the Dark Lord. The inner circle began to disperse, but Severus lingered behind. He approached the Dark Lord and dropped to his knees.

"My lord, I have a request." Again, it took everything Severus had to keep his voice level.

The Dark Lord hissed, displeased that Severus had distracted him. "Tell me quickly, Severus, and do not waste my time."

"My lord, Lily Potter is of… special significance to me. The prophecy refers to a male—her son. She is no threat to you. Master, I—I beg you to spare her life."

Severus had only begged once in his life, for Lily's forgiveness. Now he was forced to beg for her safety.

The Dark Lord laughed. It was thin and cruel to Severus's ears. "You wish me to spare the woman who carries the only wizard who might defeat me?"

"Yes. One of them. The prophecy might have been made for the Longbottom child, the pureblood."

The Dark Lord's eyes narrowed into crimson slits. "I shall keep my own counsel on the subject of the prophecy, Severus. Do not forget your place."

"Of course, master, I apologize." Severus snapped his head to the ground and bowed. His knees ached where they were planted on the floor.

"I am surprised by your request, Severus. I did not think you fool enough to have affection for one of Dumbledore's mudbloods."

"We attended Hogwarts together," Severus said. "She was—I… desire her, nothing more." The lie tasted foul in Severus's mouth, but he would have said far worse to spare Lily's life.

The Dark Lord laughed again. "I see that you are mortal after all, Severus." There was a long silence, then finally the Dark Lord spoke again. "Very well, Severus. Lord Voldemort rewards those who serve him well. I will spare your mudblood woman if I can."

A more naive man would have felt elation, but all Severus had heard was the Dark Lord's last three words.

 _If I can…_

Severus was not going to risk Lily's safety on the whims of the Dark Lord.

"Thank you, master." Severus said, rising and exiting the room. The Dark Lord did not try to stop him.

* * *

The minute he had disapparated away from the Dark Lord's headquarters, Severus's grip over his emotions was broken. He collapsed onto the small bed in his flat and sobbed angrily. He had done everything in his power to survive, and to ensure that Lily would be spared, but the world was conspiring against him.

Severus knew what he had to do. He had made up his mind the second that Bellatrix had spoken Lily's name to the Dark Lord, before the Dark Lord had even proclaimed her their primary target. He rolled off the bed and tore through the drawers of the small desk on the opposite wall, grabbing a roll of parchment and an inkwell. He shoved them roughly onto the surface of the desk and scrawled out a quick request for a meeting. His first attempt at addressing the envelope came out an unreadable scrawl, so he took a deep breath before writing the name and location again. At the end of the note, Severus included an archaic codeword that he had learned from the Restricted Section at Hogwarts. It was something purebloods had once used to indicate that a message was sent in good faith, or a sign of truce in conflict. Severus did not know if the recipient would recognize it, but it might be the only chance Severus had of coming across as genuine.

The message complete, Severus rolled up the parchment and sealed it clumsily. He cast a litany of spells to make the message impervious to most natural methods of harm, then stumbled over to his fireplace. Severus grabbed a handful of floo power off the mantle, then hesitated for a moment. The green powder ran between his fingers like the sand of an hourglass.

Severus threw the powder into the fireplace, and green flames immediately sprung to life. He tossed the letter into the flames, and it swirled and fluttered as the magical fire roared around it.

"Albus Dumbledore!" Severus shouted.

The flames expanded quickly, then collapsed with a _pop_ , vanishing alongside the letter. Severus exhaled raggedly. Now there was little left for him to do but wait. He had no idea if the letter would reach Dumbledore, or if the headmaster would believe its contents.

Severus felt fear beginning to creep in, and suddenly his flat felt very cold. But there was something else inside of him too. Something that Severus hadn't felt since Lily had called him her friend.

Hope.

He would save Lily, whatever it took. He had to.


	4. Betrayal

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

Traitors

Part Four: Betrayal

Severus stepped from Dumbledore's fireplace and dusted himself off. Even after a year and a half working as Dumbledore's spy, the room made him uncomfortable. Severus had no good memories here among the headmaster and his inscrutable instruments.

Were it up to him, Severus would be happy to never set foot on the Hogwarts grounds again. The only thing that kept him coming back was the assurance of Lily's protection. Dumbledore had reiterated time and time again that the Potters—Severus suppressed a shudder—that the Potters were safe, and Severus believed him to an extent. But Lily would never truly be safe while the Dark Lord remained at large. He would tear Wizarding Britain apart to find the subject of the prophecy, and if things remained unchanged, he would succeed. It was just a matter of time.

Doom hung in the air like a tangible fog. The Ministry was dangling by a thread. Dumbledore was certain that many senior officials had defected already, and Severus suspected that the Minister would be dead within an hour if the Dark Lord wished it. The only hope of stopping his advance, as much as Severus hated it, was the Order of the Phoenix, and that meant Severus would return to the office time and time again, until he was dead or Dumbledore no longer had any use for him. Lily was all that mattered.

"Severus, please sit down," Dumbledore said, serene as ever. He was seated behind his desk chewing the end of a candied quill, or possibly a real one, Severus wasn't entirely sure. To look at him, you would have no idea that Dumbledore was the wizard holding Magical Britain afloat.

Severus sat and met the headmaster's gaze. Dumbledore stared right through him, but Severus felt no touch of legilimency. If he had, he would have done nothing to fight it. Dumbledore had to be absolutely certain of his loyalty, or Severus would be of no use to him or Lily. It was ironic really, but that was the game that Severus had been forced to play for the past year and a half since his defection. If either the Dark Lord or Dumbledore stopped trusting him, the entire act would crumble.

"Crocker will make a fully recovery. She has you to thank for her life."

A curt nod was all that Severus offered in response. Dumbledore tried to do this occasionally—tell him about all the good he was doing, as though it would make Severus into a better man. It never worked. Severus couldn't care less about Dumbledore's followers. He was here for Lily, and that was it.

"Your early warning allowed us to arrive before the Death Eaters could inflict any lasting damage… Does Voldemort suspect a betrayal?" asked Dumbledore.

"The Dark Lord suspects everyone," Severus said. "However, he remains convinced of my loyalty. The Order's rapid response was attributed to the incompetence of the Death Eaters. It wouldn't be the first time." Severus recalled how Avery and Travers had botched his own first assignment years ago.

"Good. Once again you've proven yourself invaluable to the Order."

 _But…_ Severus completed mentally. He doubted that he would ever truly understand Dumbledore, but after over a year of holding secret meetings and making life-or-death decisions together, Severus could read the old wizard well enough. Dumbeldore's tone told Severus that the headmaster wanted something more from him. It was always something more.

Dumbledore had pushed Severus to his limits and beyond time and time again. It was enough to make Severus want to just end it, but of course he couldn't. He had to go on. For Lily. Severus wondered if Merriweather had ever contemplated quitting, or if Dumbledore had held something over him as he did Severus. Dumbledore had never revealed Merriweather's reasons for betraying the Dark Lord, and Severus didn't particularly want to ask, considering he was directly responsible for his predecessor's death.

"You seem troubled, Severus," Dumbledore said.

Severus nearly laughed, but instead he sneered at Dumbledore. "Looked around lately? We're on the brink of destruction. I'm the best source of information you have on the Dark Lord's plans, and even I—a member of the inner circle—know little more than one of the seventh years down in the Slytherin common room. But I'm all we've got, so I keep going back, and every day I have to lie to the most talented legilimens either one of us has ever seen. Failure to convince him that I'm telling the truth means death, or torture, or both, and probably the end of everything I actually care about too." Severus didn't include the fact that everything he cared about amounted to one person.

Dumbledore looked at him for a moment, as though checking him over for Dragon Pox. "I see your point," he said finally. "However, I meant beyond the situation at large." He waved a hand around. "I think I'm correct to ask. You aren't prone to such outbursts, Severus."

That was true enough. At least as far as Dumbledore was concerned. Severus saved his tongue lashings for those beneath him.

"It's the spy," Severus answered. Lying to Dumbledore was just as difficult as lying to the Dark Lord. In this case, Severus didn't even try.

Not long after Severus joined Dumbledore's cause, he had begun to suspect the existence of a spy within the Order of the Phoenix. As one of the few people in the world who had access to information from both sides of the war, the Dark Lord's tactics were simply _too_ effective, his predictions _too_ accurate to be the result of intuition alone. When Severus had come to Dumbledore with his suspicions, the headmaster confided that he, and most of the rest of the Order had come to the same conclusion.

Severus initially worried that he would be the primary suspect, but according to Dumbledore, the presence of a spy predated Severus's own defection. Once his concern for his own safety had been laid to rest, Severus had turned to anger. How was it possible that Dumbledore had known of the spy for months, possibly years, and been unable to deduce his or her identity? The headmaster was far too trusting, and he refused to entertain any of Severus's more extreme suggestions.

Dumbledore peered over his spectacles. "I've told you that the spy is not your concern, Severus. If you wish to protect Lily Evans, then continue to provide the Order with information as you have been. Everything else is merely a distraction from that purpose."

"We can't fight the Dark Lord with one hand tied behind our back. Every day we go without catching your traitor is another day that Lily is in danger," Severus ground out.

"I told you, I've taken measures to counteract the—"

"It's been _months_ , headmaster. Counteract all you want, but until you find the kneasel, you're endangering everyone in your Order. Ask Crocker, if I'm not convincing enough."

For a moment, something flashed across Dumbledore's face, and Severus could tell he had wounded the headmaster. Good. Dumbledore had plenty of blood on his hands, perhaps more than anyone save the Dark Lord.

"I understand your concern, Severus, but I have told you before that there is nothing you can do without endangering your own position. I suspect that you have ignored my warnings and tried anyway, but you discovered exactly what I told you: Voldemort is far too paranoid to share the identity of a valuable spy with even his most trusted Death Eaters. He hasn't revealed the fact that _you_ are a spy to his inner circle, has he?"

"No," Severus admitted. Sometimes Dumbledore's intellect could be infuriating.

"Then why do you believe he would divulge the identity of another?"

Severus had no answer.

"I will say it again, Severus. You serve Lily best by continuing to find out what you can about Voldemort's plans and continuing to pass on that information. Pushing to do anything more than that is putting yourself and Lily at great risk."

Of course Dumbledore was correct, but that didn't make Severus hate it any less. "Fine," he spat. "I'll keep sitting and waiting. I'll do whatever you want, as long as you keep Lily safe." That was the chain that enslaved him to Dumbledore. Both of them knew it.

Dumbledore smiled, as though they were two old friends who had just finished a spirited debate about nothing more consequential than Quidditch strategy. "Wonderful! Now, let us discuss what the Dark Lord's next move may be."

* * *

"Severus."

His name was a hiss from the Dark Lord's throat. They were outside, walking the grounds of the Ivory Manor. Severus had rarely seen the Dark Lord outside the confines of his headquarters, and the unfamiliar surroundings had him on edge. He followed as the Dark Lord glided through the paths of his moonlit garden. A strange, child-like part of Severus's mind expected the flora to wither as the Dark Lord passed.

"I expect that your meeting with Dumbledore went well." The Dark Lord spoke quietly, but with none of Dumbledore's gentleness. Severus told himself that it was the early-autumn chill making him shiver.

"Yes, my lord. I delivered the information that you wished me to. Dumbledore has been told that an attempt on the Minister's life will be made on Halloween." So began the next round of the game. He had to convince the Dark Lord that he remained a loyal double-agent, while maintaining his usefulness as a triple-agent for Dumbledore.

Severus focused as much as he could on the fact that what he had told the Dark Lord was true. He let the knowledge that he had _also_ informed Dumbledore that the assassination attempt was a ruse fall away. Occlumency was about as easy as intentionally forgetting something, and Severus didn't have the luxury of making a mistake. Even now, with the Dark Lord's back to him, Severus dared not let his guard down. Legilimency without eye-contact was supposed to be impossible, but he had seen the Dark Lord perform supposedly impossible feats before.

"Dumbledore still has no inkling of your true loyalties?" The Dark Lord asked. He stopped and turned to Severus. His scarlet eyes slid over to meet Severus's own.

Severus couldn't look away. "Dumbledore believes that I am his loyal spy. He doesn't suspect otherwise." That was true, because Dumbledore was right.

There was a long silence as the Dark Lord scrutinized him. An all-too-familiar headache beat at the front of Severus's head as the Dark Lord battered his mind. Finally, the Dark Lord turned away and continued down the garden path, seemingly satisfied that Severus had not betrayed him… for now.

When Dumbledore had told Severus to reveal the truth of his betrayal to the Dark Lord, Severus thought that the headmaster had finally gone as senile as the Death Eaters liked to think. Dumbledore was adamant that Severus should relay the minutiae of their encounter exactly—including the reason why Severus had gone to Dumbledore—changing only the detail of Severus's true loyalties.

That had been the first round of the game. Severus had been sure that the Dark Lord would kill him the moment Severus told him of the meeting, but Dumbledore had been confident that the Dark Lord would be pleased with Severus's actions. According to the headmaster, the Dark Lord wouldn't understand that Severus's desire to save Lily was genuine, and that he would be willing to betray the most powerful dark wizard since Grindelwald to do so. However, he _would_ believe that the "old fool" would accept Severus's story with little hesitation. After all, Dumbledore's greatest weakness was that he still believed in childish fantasies like true love.

The deception required Severus to once again claim that he only… desired Lily. As before, he had felt dirty and ashamed to say it—more ashamed than he had since he called her a mudblood—but he would do, and had done, far worse to save Lily's life.

"My lord, what would you have me do?" Severus asked. The Dark Lord followed the path's natural curve, descending a small set of stairs to enter the garden's lowest tier. Severus followed after, like a child keeping up with an indifferent parent. "If we aren't to attack the Minister, then what is our next step?"

It was a risky question. The Dark Lord's lesser servants would have received a swift punishment for presuming their role entailed anything other than obeying the Dark Lord's orders. As a member of the inner circle, Severus was afforded the ability to make inquiries without fear of torture. However, his position as a double-agent meant that everything he did was studied with the utmost scrutiny for any sign of disloyalty. If the Dark Lord began to have serious doubts about that loyalty, all would be lost.

Normally, Severus wouldn't risk being so forward, but the knowledge of a spy within the Order of the Phoenix pushed him, in spite of Dumbledore's warnings. The Dark Lord's grip was tightening every day. The Auror's Office was a shell of its former self, while the number of Death Eaters swelled. If the Order of the Phoenix didn't root out their traitor soon, there would be nobody left to oppose him.

"You have served me well, Severus," the Dark Lord said. He moved to the gate which guarded the garden's exit. Beyond it lie the rest of the grounds, dominated by the forest to the south. "When the time is right, you will play the most important part of any of my followers. Dumbledore trusts you. That trust will be his end." With a wave of his hand, the gate swung open, and the Dark Lord flowed through it. Severus scurried after him. "But for now, I have more pressing concerns. We must find the Secret Keeper."

"Dumbledore still refuses to tell anyone Black's location," Severus replied. "I'm not certain he knows it himself."

It had not taken long for the Dark Lord to determine that Sirius Black was the Potter's Secret Keeper. Severus had been infuriated when Dumbledore confirmed as much. It was just like James Potter to show such an utter lack of wit. Potter had chosen Black as his Secret Keeper despite any number of far better choices (including Dumbledore himself) being available. Had Severus been tasked with the decision, he would have chosen a Secret Keeper that even his friends would not suspect. Better yet, Severus might have chosen a Secret Keeper, only to lie to others about who his Secret Keeper was, but that sort of subtlety escaped James Potter's thinking. Even if it _had_ occurred to him, he had likely dismissed it as being far too _Slytherin_.

Potter's carelessness didn't surprise Severus in the slightest, but this time Potter was putting Lily in danger as well. Despite them ostensibly being on the same side, Severus was certain that he would curse Potter if given the chance.

"My agents in Germany believe they have Black's scent," the Dark Lord remarked. The two of them continued down the path that let into the forest.

"That is a false trail, and if your source in Germany is Karkaroff, then I would treat any reports with a healthy dose of skepticism." Karkaroff was one of the newest members of the growing inner circle, useful because of his extensive connections in Europe. Severus had disliked him from the start. While undoubtedly a skilled wizard, Severus suspected that Karkaroff's loyalties depended on the direction of the wind. Unfortunately for Karkaroff, Severus also suspected that he had neither the intelligence nor constitution to keep his head if things started falling apart.

"You doubt Karkaroff's competence?" the Dark Lord asked with a hint of amusement.

"I doubt that he would claim victory in a chess match against Dumbledore," Severus responded. "I know Black. He's far too brazen and foolish to leave the country. He would view it as cowardly."

The moonlight was quickly being swallowed up as the forest canopy thickened. If the Dark Lord was disturbed by this, he made no indication of it, moving just as confidently as he would in daylight. Severus squinted and focused on keeping his footing while following in the Dark Lord's wake.

"The Black family is traditionally shrewd," said the Dark Lord.

"Perhaps, but Sirius Black could not stand to feel like a coward. He is still in Britain."

Severus was quite certain of that. However, he felt no need to tell the Dark Lord anything else he knew. It did strike Severus as ironic that he found himself hoping for Black's success. Of course, if _he_ was the one to find Black, Severus wouldn't rule out killing him on the spot. That was certainly one way of keeping the Potters' location secret…

Abruptly, the Dark Lord stopped and sniffed. His eyes narrowed into slits and Severus felt adrenaline begin pumping through him. Something was wrong. There was a shift in the air around them, and then the Dark Lord hissed. It was a long, low sound, but unmistakably not natural. Within seconds, two snakes emerged from the brush and begun to circle around the wizards. A third appeared from down the path and slithered up the Dark Lord's leg before coming to rest on his shoulders.

It took a great effort for Severus to stand there unmoving. Every bone in his body was screaming at him to run, or to attack—to do something, because Lord Voldemort must have discovered his true allegiance and decided to kill him as he had killed Merriweather.

Severus stood his ground. This was just another of the Dark Lord's tests. One more that he had to pass to keep Lily safe.

The snake around the Dark Lord's shoulders lifted its head level with its host's ear. Severus heard a high, faint hiss of parseltongue and saw the snake's forked tongue shoot out of its mouth.

"She says you're afraid, Severus. She can smell it," said the Dark Lord. He dipped two long fingers into his robe and withdrew his pale wand.

Severus swallowed the lump in his throat. He had spent countless hours perfecting his defenses against the Dark Lord, but he had never anticipated this. Severus had no way of knowing what the animal senses of the Dark Lord's newest acquaintances could discover. Salazar Slytherin was rumored to have a snake companion that could whisper secrets in his ear… such as when someone was lying to him. The Dark Lord could be bluffing about what the snake had told him, but Severus couldn't take that chance.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"Why would you be afraid, Severus?" The Dark Lord's tone was casual, but carried more danger than any hiss of parseltongue. He held his wand delicately, as though he might let it slip from his fingers at any moment.

Blood was pounding in Severus's ears. He let out a heavy sigh, hoping that it would come off as resignation, but in actuality to give himself another moment to think. Evidently, he had done something to trigger the Dark Lord's paranoia. If he did not choose his next words carefully, they would be his last. For a fleeting moment, Severus wondered if anyone would mourn his death. Dumbledore might feel a spark of responsibility, but that would be like a pinch of floo powder in a wildfire. Would any of the Death Eaters he had attended Hogwarts with care? Would Lily?

"My lord, you may not understand, because you are a wizard without equal, but to stand in your presence is to experience… awe, and wonder, and yes, fear. You have done things that I believed to be impossible, and only a fool would not hold some measure of fear for a wizard far beyond their own ability. Just as only a fool would ever oppose them." That was the best that Severus could offer. Flattery, and not a word of it a lie. Severus didn't fall to his knees and grovel as someone like Avery might. He simply stated it as though it was manifest.

The Dark Lord turned his wand over in his hands carefully. "And what do you feel in Dumbledore's presence?"

Surprise rippled through Severus. That was _not_ what he had expected the Dark Lord to ask. At that moment, Severus realized that what they said was true: the Dark Lord feared Albus Dumbledore. He would not bother to ask such a question otherwise. The Dark Lord did not concern himself with the aura of his inferiors anymore than Severus concerned himself with the brewing technique of a Hogwarts first year.

"Dumbledore likes to play the old man, keeping his true power concealed, but the glimpses I have seen…" Severus decided to embrace honesty once again. It had gotten him this far. "It is awe-inspiring, yes, but I do not fear Dumbledore. He is softhearted when he should be unforgiving, and foolishly naive for one so experienced. He has put his trust in me because he truly believes that I love a _mudblood_." Severus hoped that the Dark Lord would interpret his disgusted tone on the last word as revulsion at the thought of loving a muggleborn, rather than disgust from using that slur to refer to Lily.

The Dark Lord seemed to think for a moment. The snake around his shoulders slithered around the back of his neck to roost on the other side of his head and regarded Severus suspiciously.

"Dumbledore is a fool," the Dark Lord said with too much conviction, as though convincing himself more than Severus, "and accepting you into his army is only the latest and most deadly of his mistakes."

The snake dropped from the Dark Lord's shoulders and slithered back into the brush. The two that had been encircling the wizards followed after. Severus kept his relief from showing. Another test passed. Another day of living in fear within the Dark Lord's shadow, feeding crucial information to Dumbledore. Another day of keeping Lily safe.

"Come Severus, let us discuss Dumbledore's next move," the Dark Lord hissed, moving away from the forest and back toward the Ivory Manor.

"Yes, my lord," Severus murmured.

* * *

The burning in Severus's Dark Mark was so severe that it woke him instantly. Something major had happened, something that had made Voldemort's power swell like a serpent ready to strike. Severus had only experienced this sensation a handful of times since he had been branded as one of the Dark Lord's servants, but it was always associated with news that either made the Dark Lord furious or exuberant. Severus had no way of knowing which it was on this occasion, but he felt no pulling sensation indicating a summons by his master. That told him little more than the sensation of a hot coal being pressed against his forearm.

Severus checked the time. It was midnight. He must have just dozed off.

A pinch of floo powder and a call to Dumbledore were no more illuminating than the burning Dark Mark. The headmaster wasn't in, and even if he was, Severus doubted Dumbledore would know any more than Severus himself. He would have to discover the truth personally. It was risky to go to the manor when the Dark Lord was in this state, but Severus had to know what was going on. He had to put to rest the nagging feeling in his gut telling him that the Potters had been found. He threw a cloak over his shoulders and rushed outside. A whirl of apparition later, he was on the grounds of the Dark Lord's headquarters.

There was no activity evident inside or outside the manor. Severus suspected that the other Death Eaters had interpreted the outburst as a clear signal to stay away, but Severus felt no charge of power in the air that might indicate the Dark Lord's presence. He took the steps to the manor an undignified two at a time and walked straight through the solid front door as though it wasn't there. His Dark Mark twinged as he crossed the magical barrier, but he hardly noticed it over the unrelenting sear of Voldemort's power.

While there were normally servants or those seeking the Dark Lord's favor flitting around, today the manor stood empty. The moonlight falling through the windows cast a ghostly pallor on the walls. Combined with the stillness of the air, the house felt like a morgue.

A sound from the top of the stairs gripped Severus's attention. He whipped his wand out and trained it on the source. It appeared that one other had been as foolish as Severus and decided to come… and of course she beat him here.

"Feeling nervous, Severus?" Bellatrix asked. She cackled at him as she began to descend the staircase.

"Shouldn't I be?" Severus responded. He slipped his wand back into his pocket, but kept his eyes trained on Bellatrix. "I came to see the Dark Lord."

"The Dark Lord isn't here," Bellatrix said with a sulk. She was halfway down the stairs with one hand perched on the railing and the other held across her chest dramatically. Her long flowing robes and dark handsome features made her look almost elegant, but the effect was ruined by the deranged gleam in her eye.

"Where is he?" Severus asked.

A grin split Bellatrix's face—too wide for her features. "Is that worry in your voice, Severus?"

"I don't have time for your games, Bella. Tell me where the Dark Lord is."

The grin turned into a pout. "You're no fun, Severus." She reached the bottom step and let her hand fall away from the balustrade. "I don't know where master went. By the time I got here, he had gone," she said airily as she walked by.

Severus clenched his fists. The Dark Lord had seen fit to handle whatever had happened personally and immediately. That narrowed the possibilities down quite a bit, but it did nothing to alleviate Severus's fears. Before he could think of what to do next, there was a sharp stab against the back of his ribs.

"Don't forget your place, Severus," Bellatrix spat, her mouth only inches from his right ear and her wand digging into his back. "I think you might need a reminder. The Dark Lord may have use for you, but I haven't forgotten your filthy…"

Bellatrix gasped, as though physically struck. Severus felt it too. His right hand grasped at his left arm, yanking back the sleeve of his robes.

The Dark Mark had stopped burning. Completely. For the first time since the brand had been pressed into his skin, Severus felt nothing. Before his eyes, the dark black lines of the skull and serpent began to fade, eventually becoming nothing more than a pink ghost on his flesh.

"What is this?" Bellatrix asked, horror clear in her voice. Severus turned and saw that she too was examining her left arm. She began clawing at the faded mark, as though trying to etch the symbol back into vivid color. "Master!" she breathed. "Master!" The Dark Mark shed crimson tears as blood began flowing from the gouges she had scratched in her arm. "MASTER!" Her shriek echoed around the empty manor.

Severus turned to leave, then was jerked backward by the arm. Bellatrix had lost any semblance of sanity. She stared at him wide-eyed, fear written plainly across her face.

"Don't you dare walk away from me. We have to do something. We have to find him!"

Severus tried to jerk free of her grasp, but she had his sleeve caught in a death-grip. "Let go of me, Bella," he warned, he redrew his wand and pointed it at her chest.

"Traitor!" she screamed, unaware of how correct she really was. She reached for her own wand.

A flick of Severus's wrist sent Bellatrix flying across the atrium. Before she had even hit the ground, Severus was out the front door and moving down the steps. He heard another anguished scream from inside the manor, then he crossed into the apparition point, turned and was gone.

* * *

He spent the next several hours watching the moon set through the windows of Dumbledore's office.

The Dark Lord was gone. It was impossible to be certain, but Severus was as sure as he could be without seeing the body. His Mark had faded, and the Ivory Manor lay abandoned. Severus had received no summons from the Dark Lord or his servants. He suspected that only Bellatrix, and perhaps one or two others, still held faith. On the other hand, Dumbledore's floo had been flaring nearly every five minutes with someone else seeking an audience with the headmaster. None of them could get through of course—Severus had sealed the fireplace shortly after he arrived. Not that it mattered; Dumbledore wasn't here. Severus just didn't want anyone getting the wrong idea if they happened to find a suspected Death Eater lying in wait inside of Albus Dumbledore's office.

The portraits of Hogwarts's past headmasters and headmistresses were abandoned. All of them had gone to seek information from other paintings, or in portraits of themselves located elsewhere. Severus was left alone with his thoughts. A thousand of them raced through his head, none of them comforting, and all the while he was surrounded by Dumbledore's damn trinkets. They clanked and hissed, as though jeering at him. The longer he had to stew, the more Severus felt his mental state spiraling, until finally he felt no more in control than Bellatrix had been.

The Dark Lord was gone.

An instrument ticked from the depths of the office.

No one seemed to understand how.

A gout of flame whooshed through the floo.

 _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…_

A golden sphere hissed as it spun over a plate.

Lily's son was the subject of the prophecy. The Dark Lord had been certain of it.

Dumbledore's phoenix cooed, its shining black eyes fixed on Severus.

The Dark Lord's power had flared—as though he had received the news he was waiting for… news of the Potters' location. But just as quickly as that power had risen, it was cut short, as though something the Dark Lord encountered had destroyed him. As though the prophecy had been fulfilled.

Lily's son…

Severus couldn't take it anymore. He crossed his arms on Dumbledore's desk, then put his head down and wept.

* * *

"Severus?" Dumbledore's gentle voice roused him.

Wearily, Severus raised his head and opened his eyes. Most of the portraits had returned, and he found dozens of eyes staring at him. Sunlight was streaming through Dumbledore's windows. It must be…

"It's nearly noon," Dumbledore supplied.

It all came flooding back in an instant. The Dark Mark, Bellatrix, the Dark Lord's absence, and…

"Lily," Severus croaked.

Dumbledore sighed and moved behind his desk. He looked his age. In the past year and a half, Severus had only seen that occur twice—both after the headmaster had received terrible news. Dumbledore remained standing and leaned forward, resting his hands atop the desk. Severus felt like a student again, waiting to hear the headmaster's decision on his punishment.

"Severus…"

The way that Dumbledore said his name told Severus everything he needed to know. He felt tears threatening to force their way out. His hand was shaking as he brought it up to run through his hair. Still, he wouldn't fully believe it until Dumbledore said the words to him.

Dumbledore spoke again, "Something extraordinary has happened."

"Don't! Just don't, Dumbledore!" Severus yanked back the sleeve over his left arm and shoved the ghost of the Dark Lord's mark forward. "I know the prophecy. I know who the one that could defeat the Dark Lord is. He found them, didn't he? He found them, and he went there, and he…" Severus couldn't finish the thought.

"Yes," Dumbledore said softly, as though calming a child. "Voldemort went to the Potters' home in Godric's Hollow last night. He confronted young Harry, and was, quite inexplicably, defeated… However, James and Lily gave their lives to protect their son."

Dumbledore's words bounced around Severus's head. Lily was gone. A jolt ran through him, and his limbs felt heavy. She was gone. After all Severus had done to protect her. After all he had given up. She was gone, and she had never forgiven him. He would never have the chance to plead with her again. Somehow he had always thought that she would come around. That even if she didn't turn her back on Potter, she might call Severus her friend again.

None of that would happen, because Lily was gone.

"I'm sorry, Severus," Dumbledore said.

It sounded genuine, but Severus didn't care whether Dumbledore meant it. In an instant, his wand was in his hand. He'd become quite adept with his wandwork fighting in the war. It was surprisingly difficult to intentionally miss a target without looking like you were trying to, but nothing that Dumbledore had ever asked of him was easy.

And none of it had mattered.

" _Reducto!_ "

The portrait over Dumbledore's left shoulder exploded in a shower of wood and parchment. Its occupant (some headmaster from the sixteenth century) screamed and dove into his neighbor's frame.

" _Bombarda!_ "

The golden sphere spinning atop the plate exploded in a shower of molten metal. A stack of parchment behind the instrument ignited whena stray spark landed on it. Dumbledore's phoenix cried out and swooped down from its perch to the fire, somehow dousing the flames there in an instant.

Dumbledore made no move to stop Severus from destroying his office. He simply watched over his spectacles, as maddeningly calm as ever. Severus slashed his wand again and again, spreading destruction outward over the office.

"This is your fault!" Severus screamed, reducing a bookshelf to splinters. "You were supposed to protect her!" There was hardly anything left in the office to destroy, other than the headmaster himself. Half of the portraits had relocated to the few that survived unscathed. Most of Hogwarts' former headmasters were shouting at him, but all fell silent at Dumbledore's sharp look.

Severus let his wand fall to the ground.

"Where is he?" Severus asked, sinking back into his chair.

"Who?"

"Sirius Black!" Severus snapped. "If the Dark Lord didn't kill him when he was through torturing him, I'll kill him myself."

"Sirius Black is in auror custody," Dumbledore said. There was a tinge of guilt in his voice.

"What?"

"It appears that he betrayed the Order to Lord Voldemort. I went to his last hiding spot myself when I realized what had happened, but there was no sign of a struggle…" Dumbledore sighed heavily. "Peter Pettigrew was the first to find Sirius after Voldemort attacked the Potters. Sirius murdered him this morning, along with an entire street full of muggles. He confessed to betraying the Potters to the aurors on scene.".

"He…" Severus didn't understand. He hadn't even considered that Black could have been a traitor, but the more he thought about it, the more pieces fell into place. Black had always had a darker side that his friends didn't. He had even tried to get Severus killed during their time at Hogwarts, and misguided fanaticism certainly ran in his blood if Bellatrix was any indication. How had Severus missed it?

None of that explained why Black would withhold the Potters' location from the Dark Lord for months, but Severus might never know what Black's motives had been. How long had he been selling out Dumbledore's band to the Dark Lord? Since he graduated from Hogwarts? Before? Had his entire friendship with Potter been an act? Severus's head was spinning, but ultimately it didn't matter now.

"The dementor's kiss?" he asked.

"The Minister seems to think that life in Azkaban is a harsher punishment," Dumbledore said with obvious disdain.

"Good." Severus wouldn't wish that fate on many, but no punishment was harsh enough for Black.

Now that Severus had released his anger, pain crept back in to take its place. He sagged in his chair and let his head fall into his hands. Before he could stop himself, he began sobbing again.

"We did all we could," Dumbledore said softly.

Slowly, Severus raised his head and saw that Dumbledore had returned the office to its pristine state in a matter of seconds. All that power, skill, and experience, and yet, in the end, even Dumbledore hadn't been able to stop the Dark Lord.

"I thought you were going to keep them safe," Severus choked out. Years of carefully monitoring his every action had depleted his control entirely. Tears ran off his cheeks and nose, leaving dark spots on his patchy robes.

"She and James put their faith in the wrong person," Dumbledore said. "Rather like you, Severus. Weren't you hoping Lord Voldemort would spare her?"

There was cruelty in Dumbledore's words, but there was truth in them too. It was his fault. He had thrown his lot in with the Dark Lord, and it was on _his_ word that the Dark Lord had decided to seek out the Potters.

He was the reason Lily was dead.

"Her boy survives," Dumbledore said, jerking Severus back to the office. He spoke so softly that Severus had to strain to hear him. "Her son lives. He has her eyes, precisely her eyes. You remember the shape and color of Lily Evans's eyes, I am sure?"

"Don't…" Severus mumbled. He had heard enough, but Dumbledore made to press on. "Don't!" Severus bellowed. "She's gone, she's dead because of me," Severus tried to force out, but only every other word escaped. There was a horrible pain in his chest, and Severus decided in that moment that he would rather be subjected to the Cruciatus until he lost his mind than ever feel this way again. The Dark Lord's wrath would be mercy next to this.

"Is this remorse, Severus?" Dumbledore regarded him strangely, as though re-evaluating.

Remorse. Guilt. Shame. They all filled Severus until he was boiling over. It was too much to handle. "I wish…" Severus said. He had wanted to say that he wished he could go back and save her, but he knew that was impossible. Instead he said, "I wish I was dead." That much was true. Then he could be with Lily again.

"And what good would that be to anyone?" Dumbledore said with surprising vigor. "If you loved Lily Evans, then your way forward is clear."

 _I did love her! Only her, and always her!_ Severus wanted to scream, but he was holding on to the little shreds of control that remained. Dumbledore thought his way forward was clear, but what was left for him? The Dark Lord was gone. Severus had betrayed everyone he ever cared about. But there was an intensity in Dumbledore's expression—something that drew Severus in.

"What—what do you mean?"

"You know how and why she died. Make sure it was not in vain. Help me protect Lily's son."

 _She died by the Dark Lord's hand, because of my word._ But that wasn't what Dumbledore was getting at. The prophecy. The Dark Lord had believed it, and Dumbledore did too. But the terms had been fulfilled, hadn't they? The Dark Lord had been vanquished, and by a child, no less, if Dumbledore was to be believed.

"He does not need protection, the Dark Lord has gone—"

"The Dark Lord will return, and Harry Potter will be in terrible danger when he does." Dumbledore's conviction gave Severus pause.

It was true. Somewhere inside of him, Severus had already concluded as much. The Dark Mark had faded, but its shadow remained. The Dark Lord claimed to have walked further down the path of immortality than any other wizard before him. Severus didn't know how it could be possible, but he heard rumors, whispers in the dark corners of Wizarding Britain. Upon hearing the prophecy, the Dark Lord had informed his inner circle that he could not be defeated, and that if he ever appeared to be gone, they were to wait for his return. Severus had learned over the past few years that the Dark Lord never spoke idly. If he claimed to have cheated death, then Severus would be a fool not to believe it.

Dumbledore believed it as well, and Dumbledore wasn't often wrong. The prophecy seemed to hold more power than Severus had initially believed. The Dark Lord would return, and when he did, he would seek to destroy the only part of Lily that remained. Severus had failed her once—no, far more than that, but never again.

"Very well. Very well," Severus said finally. He gave his word that he would protect Harry Potter, but in return, Dumbledore must never reveal the reasons why. The headmaster sighed, as he did when some stubborn edge of the world refused to fall smoothly into his designs, but he agreed nevertheless.

Dumbledore didn't ask Severus to make an oath, and Severus didn't offer one. Both of them knew it was unnecessary. Severus had loved Lily—loved her enough to betray the most dangerous wizard in history—and he had promised to watch over all that was left of her, the very thing that she had died to protect.

That was a promise that Severus would never betray.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

So, I lied about saying there would be an explanation for the inconsistency between canon and chapter 1 regarding the McKinnons' deaths. I originally planned to put it into this chapter, but it would have served little purpose and ruined the flow of the story.

This chapter was updated 10/16/2017 to remove a mention of Snape knowing Sirius was an animagus.

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it.


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